Childrenthe journal of the Association for Library Service to Children & LibrariesVolume 6 Number 2 Summer/Fall 2008 ISSN 1542-9806

2008 Awards Issue Newbery and Caldecott Speeches ALSC In Honor of Batchelder • Brian Wildsmith’s Colorful World NON-PROFIT ORG. ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED U.S. POSTAGE !SSOCIATIONFOR,IBRARY3ERVICETO#HILDREN PAID %AST(URON3TREET #HICAGO )LLINOIS HANOVER, PA PERMIT NO. 4 Table

Contents● ofVolume 6, Number 2 Summer/Fall 2008

Notes 27 Opening Doors Visual and Textual Analyses of Diverse 2 Editor’s Note Latino Subcultures in Américas Sharon Verbeten Picture Books Jamie C. Naidoo 2 Executive Director’s Note Diane Foote 36 One Book, Every Young Child Pennsylvania Literacy Initiative 3 Outgoing President’s Message Enters Third Year Jane B. Marino Susan Pannebaker

5 Incoming President’s Message 40 Brian Wildsmith’s Magical Pat Scales World of Color Judi Moreillon Features 45 Ready to Read Grant 7 Award Acceptance Speeches How Columbus Metropolitan Library Got It Newbery Medal and What They Learned Laura Amy Schlitz Kim Snell Caldecott Medal Brian Selznick Departments 49 Dewey—or Don’t We—Classify? Geisel Award Suzanne M Stauffer, ALSC Research and Development Committee Mo Willems 52 Elevator Speeches 14 Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant ALSC’s Batchelder Award What’s So Important about Them? Karen Nelson Hoyle ALSC Managing Children’s Services Committee 19 Brave Story 53 Not to Be Missed Not Just Another Epic for Younger Readers ALSC Committee Visits Free Susan A. M. Poulter Library’s Collection ALSC National Planning of Special Collections in Children’s 20 Batchelder Award Acceptance Literature Committee Speech Eric Searleman 55 ALSC News 57 Index to Advertisers 21 Let’s Pretend 58 Author Guidelines Exploring the Value of Play at the Library 59 ALSC Officers and ALSC Board of Rebecca Bane Directors 60 The Last Word 24 A Personal Visit with Ashley Bryan Steven Engelfried Cora Phelps Dunkley Editor’s Note Banquet Is Always Thrilling Sharon Verbeten t’s not quite the Academy Awards. But when you see all the coiffed hair, the Ibejeweled necks, and the elegant evening Editor wear, you’ll swear there was a red carpet Sharon Verbeten, De Pere, Wis. somewhere and that George Clooney was just around the corner. Editorial Advisory Committee Sharon Deeds, Chair, Decatur, Ga. Susan A. Cooper, Dover, Del. Barbara Immroth, Austin, Tex. You’ll have to settle for Brian Selznick. Kristin Marley, Indianapolis, Ind. Rachel McDonald, Auburn, Wash. Erin Ford Nguyen, Charlotte, N.C. The Newbery/Caldecott banquet is my highlight of the ALA Annual Ellen Pozzi, Long Valley, N.J. Pat Scales, ALSC President, Ex Officio, Greenvile, S.C. Conference—one I look forward to even if I haven’t read all the win- Sharon Verbeten, Editor, Ex Officio, De Pere, Wis. ning books. It’s an experience not to be missed if at all possible. It’s Executive Director an excuse to dress up, to schmooze, and to name drop. Diane Foote Division Coordinator But really, I truly admire the authors who, through their speeches, Laura Schulte-Cooper Website share tales of how their lives have led them to this shining moment. www.ala.org/alsc I respect the awards committee members who have spent much of the last year buried in books, reveling in them, and ignoring much Circulation Children and Libraries (ISSN 1542-9806) is published three times per year by the American of the outside world. I love seeing librarians from across the nation Library Association (ALA), 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. It is the official publication of the beam at their favorite authors on the podium. Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA. Subscription price: members of ALSC, $20 per year, included in membership dues; nonmembers, $40 per year in the U.S.; $50 in Canada, Mexico, and other countries. Back issues within one year of current issue, $12 each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Children and Libraries, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL This year, Brian Selnick and Laura Amy Schlitz thrilled and inspired 60611. Members send mailing labels or facsimile to Member Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Nonmember subscribers: Subscriptions, orders, changes of address, and inquiries should us with their stories—pulling from their storied histories to tell us be sent to Children and Libraries, Customer Service—Subscriptions, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL how they got to where they are. We’re so glad they did . . . and we 60611; 1-800-545-2433, press 5; fax: (312) 944-2641; e-mail: [email protected]. look forward to just who will be on that hallowed podium next year. Statement of Purpose They truly raised the bar for future speakers. Children and Libraries is the official journal of ALSC, a division of the American Library Association. The journal primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education of librarians working with children, which showcases current scholarly research and practice in library ser- So, who needs George Clooney? & vice to children and spotlights significant activities and programs of the Association. (From the journal’s “Policies and Procedures” document adopted by the ALSC board, April 2004.) Production Executive Director’s Note ALA Production Services—Troy D. Linker, Karen Sheets, Chris Keech, and Tim Clifford. The World Turned Upside Down Advertising Bill Spilman, Innovative Media Solutions, 320 W. Chestnut St., PO Box 399, Oneida, IL 61467; Diane Foote 1-877-878-3260 or (309) 483-6467; fax: (309) 483-2371; e-mail: bill@innovativemediasolutions .com. The journal accepts advertising for goods or services of interest to the library profession ow! An illustrated Newbery Medal and librarians in service to youth in particular. It encourages advertising that informs readers and provides clear communication between vendor and buyer. The journal adheres to ethical winner (Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! and commonly accepted advertising practices and reserves the right to reject any advertise- Voices from a Medieval Village by ment not suited to the above purposes or not consistent with the aims and policies of ALA. W Acceptance of advertising in the journal does not imply official endorsement by ALA of the Laura Amy Schlitz) and a picture book with products or services advertised. more than five hundred pages as Caldecott Manuscripts Medalist (The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick). Has the Manuscripts and letters pertaining to editorial content should be sent to Sharon Verbeten, editor, 820 Spooner Ct., De Pere, WI 54115; (920) 339-2740; e-mail: [email protected]. world turned upside down? Manuscripts will be sent out for review according to the journal’s established referee proce- dures. See www.ala.org/alsc, “Publications & Products” for author guidelines. If you are inter- ested in serving as a volunteer referee for manuscripts submitted to CAL, contact Editor Sharon Not at all. ALSC remains dedicated to our core purpose as stated Verbeten at [email protected]. More information about the referee process is available on in our strategic plan, “to create a better future for children through the Web at the above address. libraries” and our primary goal, “to lead the way in forging excellent Indexing, Abstracting, and Microfilm library service for all children.” One way we do this is by identifying Children and Libraries is indexed in Library and Information Science Abstracts and in Library Literature and Information Science. excellence in all types of media for children. Children and Libraries is indexed, abstracted, and available in full text through EBSCOhost. For more information, contact EBSCO at 1-800-653-2726. In this issue, please enjoy the Caldecott, Geisel, and Newbery accep- Children and Libraries is also available from ProQuest Information and Learning in one or more of the following ways: online, via the ProQuest information service; microform; CD-Rom; and tance speeches, as well as an article on an award that shouldn’t be via database licensing. For more information, call 1-800-521-0600, ext. 2888 or online at www .il.proquest.com. overlooked, even though it may not be given the media attention The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National that Newbery and Caldecott receive—the Mildred L. Batchelder Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. Award for the most outstanding translated book for children. Copyright © 2008 American Library Association All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be Happy reading! & photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other photocopying, reprint- ing, or translating, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.

2 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers Committee did a yeoman’s work in developing an application and evaluating more than fifty applicants for the Light the Way grant. This year, the donation went to the Rogers (Ark.) Public Library for their Bilingual Teens as Teachers and Tutors program.

This year’s Distinguished Service Award winner is Henrietta Smith, who has been an ALSC member for twenty-three years and an ALA member for forty-four. Smith is professor emeritus from the University of South Florida. Over her long and sto- Outgoing ried career, she has been a teacher, men- tor, and inspiration to children’s librarians President’s and ALSC members. What a pleasure to see her honored during ALSC’s member- Message ship meeting in Anaheim. Jane B. Marino ALSC ALSC President, 2007–08 The 2008 ALSC Emerging Leaders project [email protected] focuses on membership, and participants are developing a marketing plan for their peers to answer the question, how can ALSC best reach those who are poised ach year, as one of her final duties, to take the next step in their career, and the ALSC president compiles what kinds of programs and services do these folks need? ALSC sponsored two a report to be presented to ALA E leaders this year: Patricia Tarango from Council. Preparing this report gave me Los Angeles and Jessica Trujillo from the opportunity to reflect on the year New Brunswick, New Jersey. gone by and marvel at the accomplish- ments of our vibrant organization thanks to its membership of talented, energetic, and devoted youth services professionals. Literary and Related Awards Below are highlights of the year excerpted Participating in ALA’s Youth Media Awards from the annual report. What a busy, pro- press conference at the Midwinter ductive (and quick!) year it has been. Meeting was quite a thrill. The energy in the room was palpable, and it was humbling to watch the excitement of the Professional Awards and Scholarships award committee members who have devoted a year of their lives to choosing Every year, ALSC awards more than their winners. The live Web cast of this $60,000 in funds to support members year’s press conference has been archived through a variety of programs with sup- and is available on Google Video (http:// port from endowments and our sponsors. video.google.com/videosearch?q=ala+yo It is gratifying to see how these awards uth+media+awards&sitesearch=#). make a difference in our members’ lives by offering study grants, money to spon- The first Odyssey Award for Excellence sor an author visit, or financial support in audio book production, administered to attend ALA Annual Conference. jointly by ALSC and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) This year, through the generosity of and sponsored by Booklist magazine, Candlewick Press and Newbery Medalist was awarded this year to Live Oak Media Kate DiCamillo, we administered a for Jazz by Walter Dean Myers. The award one-time donation to a library with and five honors were presented at the exemplary service to traditionally under- Booklist Books for Youth Forum on Friday served populations. The Library Service night at Annual Conference.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 3 Outgoing President’s Message This year, both the REFORMA and I am also pleased to note that the ALSC as the ALSConnect newsletter, which ALSC boards voted to present the Pura board voted to fully integrate the Día went electronic-only last fall. In addi- Belpré Awards annually, beginning in initiative into the ALSC structure. In so tion, we’re now hosting a blog and a 2009. These awards have been presented doing, it becomes a part of the ALSC wiki, and we’ve even got a presence on every other year since their inception strategic plan as a strategy under the Facebook and in Second Life in addition in 1996. It is indicative of the success of “Advocacy” goal area and will become to our complement of electronic discus- the awards, as evidenced by the growing part of the ALSC budget. This year, we sion lists. body of work by and about Latinos, that worked with a number of new partners we are able to present them annually. to increase awareness of Día, includ- Building on the success of our wiki, ing First Book, the National Education which launched in 2006, the ALSC Blog In April, I attended the May Hill Arbuthnot Association, the Association of American launched this year with a mission to Honor Lecture, delivered by Caldecott Publishers, the Children’s Book Council, provide a venue for coverage of time- Medalist David Macaulay to a capacity and the National Council of Teachers of sensitive news in children’s librarian- crowd in Madison, Wisconsin. The lec- English. ship, current issues in the field, and ture, “Thirteen Studios,” gave a retrospec- programs, conferences, initiatives, tive look at what inspired him throughout ALSC and the Public Library Association, resources, and activities of interest to his career. Thanks to streaming video, co-administrators of Every Child Ready ALSC members and those interested in the lecture was enjoyed by many more to Read, have begun a comprehensive children’s librarianship. It is ably run by “attendees” via their computers. evaluation of the program this year, blog manager Teresa Walls, aided by a and a full report is expected by Annual cadre of volunteer bloggers. Even the Conference 2009. staff has gotten involved, with regular Our Initiatives “behind the scenes” posts from ALSC headquarters. The Kids! @ your library® Campaign con- Projects and Partnerships tinues to offer tools and tips, many at no charge, to help youth services librarians In addition to our own initiatives, ALSC Events and Continuing Education raise public awareness of their collections partners with other like-minded organi- and services. The first phase of the cam- zations and programs to promote each The past year has been filled with top- paign is targeted at children in kindergar- other’s literacy-based activities. We work notch special events and professional ten through grade 4 and their caregivers; hard to make sure the partnerships we development opportunities. At Annual the second phase is set to launch in 2009 pursue are ones that will truly interest Conference in Anaheim, the Charlemae and will focus on children in grades 5–8. and benefit our members and the chil- Rollins President’s Program featured The ALSC board voted significant bud- dren and families we serve. This year we Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, founder of the get support of $25,000 this past year for were involved with Drop Everything and Brazelton Touchpoints Center and pio- enhancement and evaluation of phase Read Day, Boys and Girls Clubs Day for neer of infant research, and was part of 1 and planning for phase 2. Results of Kids, PBS Parents, National Endowment ALA’s Auditorium Speaker Series for the a spring survey of librarians and focus for the Humanities/We the People, second year in a row. Our Preconference, groups with fifth- through eighth-grade National Education Association/Read Summer Reading Survivor: Overcoming students will help the Public Awareness Across America, and ALA/CBC Home the Challenges, attempted to help youth Committee develop exciting and relevant Library Bibliographies. services librarians fight summer read- materials for phase 2. ing fatigue and come away re-energized We began a new partnership with First and inspired. Folklorist and author El día de los niños/El día de los libros Book, which provides children from low- Judy Sierra; literacy educator Stephen (Day of the Child/Day of the Book) 2008 income families the opportunity to read Krashen; Newbery Honoree and Belpré was a success. Nearly three hundred and own their first new books. To begin, Award winner Pam Muñoz Ryan; and libraries registered their celebrations on a First Book offered Día host libraries the library director Ginnie Cooper were fea- Web-based database. Our event “spokes- opportunity to receive new bilingual tured speakers. person,” Dora the Explorer, was featured books for free or at deeply discounted on complimentary bilingual brochures prices, and plans are in the works for The first-ever Bill Morris Seminar was and on posters and bookmarks for sale future opportunities for ALSC members. held at Midwinter Meeting 2008 and through ALA Graphics. I was honored to was an enormous success. ALSC’s Morris attend the second Día celebration that Endowment supported the seminar was held in Washington, D.C., on April Publications and Communications and provided travel stipends to thirty 30. Other guests included Día founder selected ALSC members who had never Pat Mora, REFORMA president Mario ALSC seeks to reach members in a before had the opportunity to serve on an Ascencio, Congressmen Mike Honda variety of ways, including ways that award or media evaluation committee. of California and Rubén Hinojosa of increasingly allow for two-way commu- The seminar was designed to train future Texas, and Senators Debbie Stabenow of nication. We still publish our traditional Michigan and Ken Salazar of Colorado. journal, Children and Libraries, as well continued on page 6

4 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries ■■ Members who can’t always attend conferences are willing to serve on virtual committees.

I want to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have volunteered your time to make ALSC the visible and vibrant organization that it is. Some of you have already accepted committee appoint- ments, and others will be receiving invi- tations soon. Every effort has been made to accommodate each person’s commit- tee request. But there are other factors that must be considered: gender, work experience, term limits, type of library, Incoming and geographical representation. President’s If you don’t receive a committee appoint- ment, please understand that there are simply more volunteers than available Message committee slots. Those who have been Pat Scales ALSC ALSC President, 2008–09 involved with ALSC for a number of [email protected] years will quickly say that there are other important ways to serve the organiza- tion: Serving ALSC . . . In Many Ways ■■ Attend membership meetings. ■■ Observe committee work by attending “Everyone can be great, because the all committee meeting at Annual everyone can serve.” Conference and Midwinter Meeting. —Martin Luther King, Jr.

■■ Take part in conference programs. have a stack of volunteer forms from

ALSC members who are eager to ■■ Observe board meetings. Iserve the organization in a variety of ways. These forms have been my reading ■■ Network with colleagues. material for most of April. This is what I have learned about the greatness of ALSC: Each of these experiences promises pro- fessional growth, and leads to oppor- ■■ Our membership extends to every tunities to achieve greatness within the state in the nation and to some for- organization. eign countries. It is probably the dream of every ALSC ■■ We are children’s librarians, school member to serve on the Newbery, librarians, reading teachers, library Caldecott, and Wilder committees. Those directors, book reviewers, publishers, who have served numerous times are and university professors. happy to share their experiences, and most will say that it was the highlight of ■■ Retired librarians continue to serve their career. and are willing to mentor emerging leaders. Some members continue to see these ■■ Young librarians are enthusiastic committees as the premier appoint- about becoming involved in the pro- ments, but don’t overlook the other ALSC fession. awards and notable committees that rec- ognize significant children’s materials. ■■ Most members prefer the awards While all awards committees hold closed committees, but offer to serve the meetings, the notable committees’ meet- organization in other ways. ings are open and welcome observers.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 5 Incoming President’s Message This is a terrific way for new members to ful participation in the @ your library® that every single day when we serve cut their teeth on materials evaluation campaign has broadened the public’s children through the profession we have and to see committee process at work. knowledge of our other initiatives and chosen. Evaluation skills and understanding the programs. We have documented evi- committee process are essential to a suc- dence that our public has expanded and ALSC is about service. The organization cessful awards committee experience. that our programs and services are mak- serves its members, and the members ing a significant contribution to young serve the organization. This is true great- The public has long associated ALSC with library patrons and their families. Service ness. And everyone can participate. & the awards program, but our success- leads to greatness, and we accomplish

OUTGOING PRESIDENT’s MESSAGE, continued from page 4

committee members in book evaluation is available free for download as a PDF and discussion, as well as the committee Bylaws Changes document on the ALSC website. process. We expect these talented indi- This past spring, bylaws changes in viduals to form the core of many future two areas appeared on the ALSC bal- It has been my honor to serve as your committees, and look forward to hosting lot: updating the procedure for appoint- president for 2007–2008 and to work the Morris Seminar every other year at ing the ALSC Nominating Committee to with the dedicated member leaders who Midwinter Meeting. conform to current practice, and chang- serve as committee members and chairs, ing the award committee chair positions task force chairs, discussion group con- In May, I participated in ALA’s National from elected positions to appointed posi- veners, and priority group consultants Library Legislative Days in Washington, tions and increasing the number of exist- and who have been amazing in their D.C., with ALSC executive director ing member positions that are elected by responsiveness and sense of responsibil- Diane Foote and the executive direc- one. The total number of positions on ity as well as their creativity and vision tors and presidents of AASL and the committee would not change. Both for ALSC and its mission. This report has YALSA. We called on the Democratic bylaws changes were approved by the detailed many of their achievements. and Republican staffs of the House and ALSC membership and will take effect But what it does not tell you is how Senate committees charged with educa- with the 2009 election. inspiring it has been to work with so tion and library issues and thanked the many people who are ready, willing, and legislators for their successful passage able to pitch in whenever and wher- of language in the Head Start reautho- ALSC Finances ever they are asked. Our stalwart and rization bill that expressly lists librar- visionary board of directors has faced a ies as suitable partners for Head Start In an effort to encourage committee work whole array of issues and problems, and agencies. In addition, we advocated for and initiative, we publicized the avail- they have handled them all with great the SKILLS Act, the section of No Child ability of funds from the ALSC Children’s thoughtfulness and care. We continue Left Behind reauthorization that would Library Services Endowment (CLSE), to value our hard-working office staff, require a certified school library media which is available to support projects at capably led with energy and enthusi- specialist in every school library, and for the board’s discretion. This year the win- asm by Executive Director Diane Foote. an approach to Internet safety for youth ning application came from the School- Incoming President Pat Scales, who has that is education-based, rather than Age Programs and Services Committee, already proved herself to be a person filter-based. We also met with some of which created a bibliography called of integrity and intelligence, will lead our current and potential national part- “Great Early Elementary Reads.” CLSE our association in 2008–2009 and will ners, including National Parent Teacher funds went for designing and printing continue to move ALSC forward. Thank Association and the National Education the bibliography, which was distributed you ALSC for all that you do. It has been Association. at Annual Conference in Anaheim and a memorable year. &

6 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries ear friends, a cadre of percep- We’ll start with playground duty, and tive and passionate readers has Tessa. At the time of my story, Tessa was Ddecided that my book is good. in second grade. She was an appealing This is earthshaking. As a writer, there is child, with brown eyes and a round sweet nothing in the world I want more than face. I was on playground duty when this: that my work should be good. And Tessa’s friends flocked up to me, telling now, in my joy, I am supposed to speak me that Tessa was stuck on the play- to you, and this is dangerous, because I house roof and afraid to come down. am apt to be both maudlin and grandi- ose. I must remind myself that good is an So I went to help. The playhouse had approximate term. A second grader once a peaked roof eight feet high, and the asked me for “a really, really good book,” edge of the roof was five feet off the and I asked him, as librarians do, what ground. Tessa perched on the ridgepole, Newbery he considered a good book. He eyed not crying. I suggested that she hold me with thinly veiled impatience and onto the ridgepole, turn around back- Medal replied, “Medium-long with poisonous ward, and let her feet dangle, so that I snakes.” By his standards, Good Masters! could grab her legs. She looked dubi- Acceptance Sweet Ladies! falls short. It is medium- ous. I couldn’t blame her: Coming down long, but there is only a glancing refer- backward means coming down blind. So ence to poisonous snakes. at last I held out my arms. “Just pretend Speech it’s a sliding board and come on down. So I must catch hold of myself and try not I’ll catch you.” Of Kites, Moles, and to be vainglorious. I must remind myself that the Newbery Medal comes with For some reason, this solution struck Other Interesting strings attached. The biggest string—a Tessa as workable. She grimaced, let go rope thick enough to hang a writer—is of the rooftop, and slid. True Stories the speech. Whenever I’ve dreamed, as writers do, of winning the Newbery, I caught her. But I had neglected to take my dream has always ended with the into account the fact that the average Laura Amy Schlitz sad conclusion that I never would. And second grader weighs fifty-five pounds, then I’ve comforted myself: “Well, all and a fifty-five-pound weight gathers right, I’ll never win the Newbery, but at momentum on an inclined plane. That least I won’t have to give one of those small, soft-limbed child hit me like a speeches.” cannonball. My knees gave way and I staggered, wondering what irreparable Thus the whirligig of time brings in his damage I had done to my spine. I fell— revenges. hard—onto my well-upholstered rear end. My friends, you deserve a good speech: something coherent and profound. But But I didn’t drop Tessa. And since I am even if I trusted myself to be profound, well-upholstered in front as well as in being coherent poses a problem. I have back, she fell softly and scrambled to a storyteller’s mind—a deranged junk her feet as nimbly as a little squirrel. We drawer, clogged with memories and asked each other if we were hurt. Neither metaphors. I deal in mental pictures: a of us was. Then Tessa met my eyes and carousel horse, a devil in a green coat, a said, “Thank you,” with a purity and girl balancing a basketful of eels on her grace I have never forgotten. hip. I brood over these images until I divine their stories. Why does this memory come back Laura Amy Schlitz is the winner of to me? I think it has something to do the 2008 Newbery Medal for Good When I first conceived of my Newbery with the fact that winning the Newbery Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from speech, I found myself haunted by three was like catching that fifty-five-pound, a Medieval Village, published by anecdotes. These stories have some- entirely lovable child. The stars danced. Candlewick. Her acceptance speech thing to do with what I want to tell you. My knees buckled. I wasn’t sure what was delivered at ALA Annual So—sweet ladies, good gentlemen—let had happened to me. Conference in Anaheim, California, me begin there. Let me tell you about on June 29, 2008. playground duty, a kite, and having I also think this story has something to moles removed. say about the way librarians feel toward

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 7 Newbery Medal Acceptance Speech

children. We do our best for them. We In my dream, I walked through the woods. * * * * * try to help them when they’re stuck and I was searching for something—I don’t catch them when they fall—even if we know what. I came to a clearing that was I told the story many times, and the chil- never have quite enough books about almost a perfect circle. Moonlight poured dren always said: “Is that true?” poisonous snakes. into the clearing like milk in a bowl. At the edge of the clearing, there was a mov- “No,” I said, “I had moles removed.” And Now for the moles. ing shadow: someone’s dog, I thought they said, “Oh.” at first, a Labrador or a Newfoundland. Several summers ago, I had moles cut Then the bear smelled me. She lumbered But here’s the real point: the children out of my forehead. I ended up with an forward, meeting me in the center of the passed the story on. Not the true story— intriguing scar, a red-stitched crescent clearing. which every child forgot—but the bear like a third eyebrow. My schoolchildren story. I overheard two children talking demanded, “What happened to your I say she, because she was a female. When when I was in the stacks. “She didn’t face?” she rose on her haunches, she was exactly really see a bear,” one child said skepti- my height. We stood face to face, so close cally, and the second said, “Yes, she did. I was ready for them. One must be truth- that I could smell her. It was a rank and She said it was a true story.” ful with children, but a good scar war- powerful odor. I could see into her eyes, rants a story. “Do you want the true story and they were bloodshot, furious. Thus the surreal holds sway over the real. or the interesting story?” I asked. Fiction trumps fact. The true story was “Give me back my hair,” she said to me. pointless, so the children forgot it. But Bless them; they wanted both. “Here’s the She made no sound. Nevertheless, I knew the bear story was mysterious, numi- true story,” I said. “I had moles removed. what she meant. I had stolen her hair, nous, and it stayed with them. Dramatic Moles are like pimples, but sometimes and I had no right to it. I held up my hand narrative creates meaning, and what is they turn into little cancers, so the doc- with the ring on my finger. meaningful takes root in memory. That’s tor cut them off.” why, when I decided to write about the “Give me my hair,” she said again. Middle Ages, I chose to teach history The children were unimpressed. “What’s through story. It’s also why—like most the interesting story?” I stood my ground. You must recall that librarians—I secretly favor fiction over this was a dream. “I want to be bear,” I nonfiction. Facts are necessary, facts are “Oh, well, the interesting story is this,” I said. And that is true. I am an ordinary useful, facts are fascinating. But stories answered. woman, a tame woman, but there is a enlarge our lives. They awaken us to part of me that longs to be as wild and color and depth and pattern. They help * * * * * unaccountable as a bear. us make sense of a random world. And the imaginary bears—which are endan- I do not go camping. I like my comforts— The bear didn’t answer. It’s always hard gered, make no mistake about that—dig indoor plumbing and air-conditioning to know what a bear is feeling, because their dens in the fiction section. They like and locks on the door. But my friend Faith their facial muscles are rigid. “I want to the wilderness. is wild about camping, and last summer be bear,” I said again. I tried to say it in a she talked me into an overnight camping way that would tell her that I respected Last story. I have never been able to get a trip. her, loved her. But bears don’t care about kite in the air. Lithe, active people get kites respect. She growled. I knew that if I in the air, and if I am present, and if they We went to West Virginia. There were signs defied her, she would tear off my face. are kind, they let me hold the string. I love on the campground warning us about the feeling of a kite, but I’ve never been bears, which excited me, because I have So I began to unwind the hair from my able to fly one. They won’t go up. I run as a great yearning for bears. When Faith finger. But I went on begging. “Give me fast as I can, but the kite drags behind me and I went walking, we saw the claw something else,” I entreated her, “so I can like the broken muffler of a car. marks on the trees. Black bears of both be bear.” sexes mark trees by rubbing and clawing When I turned fifty, I made up my mind them—scientists don’t know why. She raised her left paw—bears are left- that I was going to fly a kite. I went to pawed. The tip of one claw raked my face, the kite store and bought a purple and One of the marked trees held a few black slicing open my flesh. The blood began scarlet parafoil. The clerk in the kite hairs. I pried them out of the bark and to trickle down my cheek. That’s when I store assured me that all I needed was a twined them around my finger like a woke up. wind; small children, he promised me, ring. could fly this kite. I cross-examined him, I was safe. The tent was sealed. But when flattening him against the cash register. Night fell. Faith slept beneath the stars, I put my fingers to my forehead, I found “You really think,” I said sternly, “that I but I zipped myself into the tent and fell that my skin was wet with blood—and can get this kite in the air?” “Lady,” he asleep. the ring was gone from my finger. said to me, “you’re gonna come back

8 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Newbery Medal Acceptance Speech here; you’re gonna be screaming at me ing to catch the uncoiling reel. A tuft of protagonist of the kite story: the string. because I didn’t let you buy two of ’em.” dune-grass snagged it, buying me time. I I tell the story as if it’s about me—I flew snatched the spool and yanked the string. the kite. Then I personify the kite, and it’s I liked his panache. I believed him. But The kite began to recover. She went on a falcon. And then I wax rhapsodic about he was wrong, because I couldn’t get rising until there was no more thread. the wind. But the real hero of the story is the kite up. I tried—twice. Bystanders averted their eyes in pity.

Two years later, I won the Newbery Medal. “Flying a kite is a bit like being a writer. Most of I decided to go to the ocean to write my the time, the words aren’t right, and the prose drags speech. The ocean, I believed, would help. So I packed my suitcase: fountain on the ground. . . . When the wind comes—those pens, ink, thesaurus, wrist splints . . . At the last moment, I tossed in the kite. are the extraordinary, the surreal times. They are After all, my life had changed. I was living in a world where anything was possible. worth all the other times.

I worked on Monday. On Tuesday, I awoke to the keening of the wind. I I flew her for an hour before I brought the string—which stands for the connec- hurried through breakfast and headed her in. By now I was feeling superstitious tion between things. Without the string, for the shore with the kite. It was chilly, about her, and I thought it would be I have no hold on the wind, and the kite a gray morning. The ocean was green- good luck if I could lure her to my glove falls to earth. ish and savage, with the waves breath- like a falcon. It was a bit like Tessa, come ing hoarsely against the shore. Even the to think of it—I wanted to catch her And this is the final, the most potent seagulls looked cold. I took the kite out before she hit the ground. reason for telling you this story. Because of my pocket. As I unfolded it, the rib- the Newbery Medal isn’t about my book, bons of the tail began to flutter. I could And I did. I pulled her within three feet or any book. It’s about the invisible fel- feel the kite straining to be free. I let go of me, leaped skyward, and plucked her lowship of librarians, publishers, par- of her, and she soared into the air. Once out of the air. ents, teachers, and writers who want to she was aloft, she ceased to be a kite and give their best to children. The Newbery became a creature: a nylon falcon, willful Why am I telling you this? Oh, because Medal is a symbol of our communion. and capricious. this story makes sense. First of all, the We are threaded together by our com- thrill of getting the kite in the air—of mitment to children and the life of the It was a miracle. She rose above my head. doing what could not be done—was like mind. We dance together on one string. I gave her a little more string, and she winning the Newbery. Unclouded joy, lashed her tail like a tiger. She pirouet- soaring disbelief. I was holding the wind And now it is time to say thank you, and ted, and I unwound the string. I was in my hands. to try to say it simply, purely, as Tessa did. flying a kite. I stumbled along the shore, Thank you for coming here tonight—for bemused, enchanted, disbelieving. She And also, because flying a kite is a bit being readers, for knowing that chil- was smaller than a postage stamp—a like being a writer. Most of the time, the dren and books matter. Thank you, my motley speck in a furrowed sky. words aren’t right, and the prose drags parents, for opening the world of books on the ground. We don’t know how to get to me. Thank you, my friends from the My hand was cold. I fumbled in my the kite into the air. Flying defies gravity. Park School, for helping me write and for pocket for a glove, and all at once I If there are rules and laws that govern helping me rejoice. Thank you, Robert dropped the spool. It was then that I this flight, we don’t know what they are. Byrd, for your irresistible artwork—and made a discovery—quite an obvious one, We only know that we have to go to thank you, Chris Paul, for your stun- really, but to me it was startling and won- the shore with the kite in our hands, in ning sense of design. Thank you, god- drous. As the spool of string rolled over case the wind is there. When the wind desses of the Candlewick pantheon—but the sand, the kite faltered and plum- comes—those are the extraordinary, the especially Danielle Sadler, who dredged meted. Without me, she couldn’t soar. surreal times. They are worth all the this manuscript out of the slush pile, She needed the tension of my hand on other times. and Mary Lee Donovan, whose faith and the string. compassion are heroic. And last of all, Can you tolerate one more metaphor? thank you, members of the Newbery I am not built for speed. But I clumped Because I should like to draw your atten- committee, for feeding my bears, and over the sand as fast as I could, try- tion to the invisible presence, the secret granting me my heart’s desire. &

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 9 Editor’s Note: The images accompanying the text here were part of a DVD author and illustrator Brian Selznick used to introduce his acceptance speech at the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet. His finely detailed images follow protagonist Hugo Cabret upon learning that the book had he speech I am about to deliver The story begins, as everything does, won the Caldecott Medal. All images used takes place in 2008, under the with childhood. I grew up drawing, read- with permission. ©Brian Selznick. T roofs of Anaheim. It concerns a ing books, and watching movies. I had young boy named Hugo Cabret, who my favorites, and among them were once, not that long ago, starred in a book the artist Leonardo da Vinci, the hilari- that changed his life forever. ous picture book Fortunately by Remy Charlip, and the movie King Kong, pro- But before we turn the page, I want you duced by my grandfather’s first cousin Caldecott to picture yourself sitting in the dark- David O. Selznick. I eventually grew up ness, like the beginning of a movie. You’ll and became a writer and illustrator of Medal remember how you zoomed toward a children’s books, a job that combines all hotel in the middle of the city, rushing my childhood loves. But about five years through the halls into a crowded ball- ago I came to an impasse. I needed some Acceptance room. On screen, you will eventually kind of change, even though I didn’t spot a boy, asleep in his secret apart- know what, exactly. Something about Speech ment. Watch out for him, because this my work wasn’t satisfying me. I stopped is Hugo Cabret. He’s unaware that in a illustrating. Everything came to a stand- city he’s never heard of, a man he doesn’t still. I grew quite depressed. Make the Book You know has taken the stage, and a speech Want to Make all about him has just begun. This lasted for six months.

Which brings us to tonight. During this time, there was one thing that Brian Selznick graced my life and saved me from going The Caldecott Medal was first presented completely crazy. I met Maurice Sendak. in 1938, having been established the year before by a man named Frederic G. He talked to me about my work, which he Melcher, who in 1921 had also created said showed great promise, but he stead- the Newbery Medal. For the Caldecott, fastly maintained that I hadn’t come close his intention was to honor the work done to reaching my full potential yet. These in picture books by American illustra- words resonated with me very strongly. I tors. But right from the start, there was think I had secretly felt the same way. a question of what exactly defined a pic- I talked to him about how lost I felt, ture book. In her History of the Newbery about how I didn’t know what I should do and Caldecott Medals, Irene Smith states next. His words were simple but powerful: that Melcher believed that the “dominant “Make the book you want to make.” feature must be the work of the artist.” I didn’t know what that meant at the When I began work on The Invention time. I had no new ideas. of Hugo Cabret, I had no idea that the “dominant feature” would be the work of So, with nothing else to do, I decided the artist; that the story would be told so to turn this period of my life into a sort Photo by David Serlin prominently through images. So tonight, of apprenticeship to Sendak, even if he members of the Caldecott committee, didn’t fully know it. I surrounded myself esteemed colleagues, fellow honorees, with the things he loved, like Moby-Dick, friends, and family, I’d like to talk a little Mozart, and the paintings of Vincent van Brian Selznick is the winner of the 2008 bit about how I came to make a 550-page Gogh, and I studied Sendak’s own work Caldecott Medal for The Invention of picture book. even more closely. I read, and I tried to Hugo Cabret, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic. His acceptance speech was delivered at ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, on June 29, 2008.

10 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speech

leave myself open for things to come. But charge. We become Max, all because of book’s unique physical structure by as for my own work, I created nothing. the page turns. bringing our attention, once again, to that momentous moment: the The Invention of Hugo Cabret grew out Think about my favorite childhood book, turning of the page. of this period in my life. I came across a Fortunately, by Remy Charlip, which book called Edison’s Eve by Gaby Wood, employs page turns so brilliantly to tell In the end, Remy posed for me as where I learned that Georges Méliès, the its story. We watch what happens as Ned, Georges Méliès because of his uncanny man who made the first science-fiction page by page, tries to get from New York resemblance to the filmmaker, and I’m movie, A Trip to the Moon, in 1902, had to a surprise party in Florida. Having extremely proud that he is one of the owned a collection of automata, and at fortunately borrowed a friend’s airplane, stars of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. the end of his life they’d been destroyed which has unfortunately exploded, he Amazingly, Remy told me that he’s long and thrown away. I had seen A Trip to the fortunately finds himself with a para- loved Méliès and that he even used draw- Moon long ago and loved it. As soon as I chute that unfortunately has a hole in ings by Méliès as inspiration for pictures learned about Méliès’s lost automata, I it, and so on. The story moves forward in one of his books. It is beautiful little suddenly, mysteriously, imagined a boy after each line of text, always bringing a coincidences like this, which occur again climbing through the garbage and find- surprise when we turn the pages. and again while I work, that convince me ing one of those broken machines. It was I must be on the right path. almost like a flash of light had gone off Through my friend Dan Hurlin, I met in my head. Here was the beginning of Remy Charlip a few years ago, and we * * * * * a story. became friends. This friendship is one of the great joys of my life. I was so excited I should mention here that The Invention Perhaps this was the book that Sendak to meet the creator of Fortunately and of Hugo Cabret would not exist at all with- was talking about. to really get to know him. While I was out my editor at Scholastic, Tracy Mack. working on Hugo, I tried to explain to The first book we did together, in 1995, I was both greatly relieved and terrified, him what my book was going to be about was Pam Conrad’s Our House, and since because it quickly became clear that this and how I wanted to use page turns. He then Tracy has pushed me to be a better book would incorporate everything I’d said, “Oh, I wrote something about that artist and writer than I ever could have learned about book-making up to this a while ago. I’ll send it to you.” This bril- been without her. From the moment I point, while at the same time it would liant little essay, called “A Page Is a Door,” told her I wanted to write about a boy be unlike anything I’d made before. I ends with this paragraph: who meets a famous French filmmaker, wanted to create a novel that read like she and editor Leslie Budnick embraced a movie. What if this book, which is all A book is a series of pages held the story and the format and helped me about the history of cinema, somehow together at one edge, and these craft every line, every word, every image. used the language of cinema to tell its pages can be moved on their hinges I share this award with them and will story? How could I do this? like a swinging door. . . . Of course forever be grateful for their guidance and if a door has something completely friendship. Thank you, Tracy and Leslie. I looked to picture books for the answer. different behind it, it is much more exciting. The element of delight and And I must extend these thoughts to art And the secret was in the page turns. surprise is helped by the physical director David Saylor, who, along with power we feel in our own hands his partner Charles Kreloff, made the Think about the wild rumpus in Where when we move that page or door to book more beautiful than I could have the Wild Things Are. The pictures grow reveal a change in everything that imagined. I must also thank Scholastic until they take over the entire book and has gone before, in time, place, or Press for publishing Hugo so exquisitely. there is no more room for words. Only character. A thrilling picture book Everyone understood that even though the reader turning the page can move not only makes beautiful single The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a book the story forward. We are put in charge images or sequential images, but about movies, and it’s told like a movie, at the exact moment Max himself takes also allows us to become aware of a the main concern was still the book. We

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 11 Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speech

wanted readers to be aware of the object Diana Blough, now at Bloomsbury, and I I certainly don’t have the words to thank in their hands, to fall in love not just with must say a profound “thank you” to you my boyfriend, David Serlin. I think I Hugo but with the book itself, the thing both. In so many ways, I’m here tonight can only be described as unbearable with covers and pages and pictures and because of you. to be around while I’m working. If he words. says, “Your drawings look good,” I get Noel Silverman has been my lawyer, advi- angry because he obviously knows noth- While I was making Hugo, I also shared sor, and very close friend since my first ing about art and can’t see all the flaws early drafts with friends who helped me book was published, and I have to thank that I’m trying to fix. And if he says with the story. I have to especially thank you for all your guidance and wisdom. nothing, then I get mad at him for being Pam Muñoz Ryan and Sarah Weeks for unsupportive. He’s really in a no-win their insights and comments. You helped Thank you especially to my parents, situation, yet he manages to handle me make Hugo the man he is today. Lynn and Roger Selznick, who have been with patience and understanding and endlessly supportive. My mom traveled love. He’s a brilliant thinker, a respectful * * * * * with my first book in a Ziploc baggie in listener, and, well, I’ll say it again, a very, the trunk of her car in case she ran into very patient man. I know that I wouldn’t This speech probably should have begun anyone who hadn’t seen it. be here tonight without you, D. Thank you. slightly differently. It should have begun with the door opening into Eeyore’s Books My dad, an accountant who had wanted And finally, to Karen Breen and the for Children in 1989, because this is where to be an archaeologist, never liked his Caldecott Committee, thank you for this my life in children’s books really started. job, and because of this, both my parents great honor. Tonight’s banquet marks the made sure their three kids followed their seventieth anniversary of the Caldecott The manager of the store took me under dreams. As a kid, I wanted to be an artist, Medal, Frederic G. Melcher’s brainchild. his wing, and I learned what it meant my sister wanted to be a kindergarten Melcher had wanted to define what to truly be a bookseller . . . getting the teacher, and my brother wanted to be a exactly picture books were and how best right book into the right child’s hand, brain surgeon, and that’s what we’re each to honor them. I think he would be something everyone in this room has doing today. proud to see that his intentions are still in common in one way or another. I being discussed so seriously, and that also learned how difficult this could be. I My dad died just before I began work we are still passionately debating what remember the time a customer, an elderly on Hugo, and for a long time while I was exactly a picture book is. woman, wanted a book for her grand- writing the story I didn’t know what was child. Nothing I recommended was right: going to happen to Hugo’s father. I didn’t But however we choose to define or label one book was too long, one too short; the want Hugo’s father to die, so I kept him them, I think the most important thing to pictures were not good enough, or bright alive. But there were huge holes in the remember is that kids want good books, enough, or engaging enough. Finally, in story—the plot simply wasn’t working. with good stories. That’s what we’re here desperation, I said, “Here, this book is a I still remember the moment when I to provide—books that are serious, or classic. Your grandchild will love it. It’s Dr. realized what needed to happen. It was funny, or true, or made up. We need to Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham.” She looked a profound and complicated moment. I give children the books they want, and the at it and said, “They’re Jewish. Do you was sad, but also uplifted. Hugo’s father’s books that they don’t yet know they want. have it without the ham?” death gave reason to the entire story. It And sometimes, we have to remember, meant everything that happens to Hugo the one thing a child really wants in their When I was finally ready to start mak- would be conected to his father. I discov- book is a little bit of ham. & ing my own book, it was the manager at ered, a year into writing the book, that it Eeyore’s and his girlfriend who helped me was his love for his father that gives the first get published. The manager soon left plot power and meaning and makes the the store and eventually became a won- story matter, for Hugo himself, for me as derful editor himself. Steve Geck, now at the creator, and hopefully, by extension, Greenwillow, married his then-girlfriend for the reader.

12 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries hank you.

Thank you for this prize. T This is a good prize. This is a fun prize.

I like this prize.

It is a prize for people who make books.

I like to make books.

I like this prize and I like to make books. Geisel Award I like to make books that are Easy to Read. They are called: Easy Readers.

Acceptance But Easy Readers are not Easy to Write. Speech They are diffic— They are not Easy.

Mo Willems They are fun to make.

They are good to make.

But, not easy.

Books with easy words make me glad.

I think a good book can make you glad.

I think a good book should make you glad.

I think a good book must make you glad.

Why?

Why do I think a good book can and should and must make you glad?

I do not know. Go ask your dad.

I make books.

I have made many books.

Many, many, many books.

But these books, the books about Elephant and Piggie, are the most fun books I have

ever made.

Really.

Thank you.

Thank you, Geisel Committ—

Thank you, uh, . . . guys. Mo Willems is the winner of the 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for There Thank you, Alessandra. Thank you, Marcia. Thank you, Anne. Thank you, Cheryl. Is a Bird on Your Head!, published by Thank you, Trixie. Hyperion. His acceptance speech was delivered at ALA Annual Conference Thank you, readers. in Anaheim, California, on June 30. The End. &

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 13 Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant ALSC’s Batchelder Award Karen Nelson Hoyle

hrough translated books, children’s minds are opened to potential book, weighs the appropriateness of the subject, and other cultures. However, adults are responsible for select- then deals with translation issues. Selection for translation T ing, translating, publishing, and promoting these titles. and publication of these books in the United States that may eventually win the award are tasks undertaken by the publish- The now forty-year-old annual Mildred L. Batchelder Award ing staff, but aided frequently by agents. Book fairs in Frankfurt recognizes the American publisher of such a translation. and Bologna serve the publishers well in promoting books and Members of the Batchelder Award Selection Committee select making them available for perusal by editors such as Beverly the book for the award and then publicize their choice in news Horowitz, Mark Aronson, and Richard W. Jackson. releases. Batchelder, for whom the award is named, collected both the award books and the book in the original language. Horowitz, an editor at Delacorte, said, “I believe we need to She donated her collection to the University of Minnesota’s broaden the minds of our U.S. young people.”2 Married to a Children’s Literature Research Collections (CLRC), and that staff Frenchman, Horowitz often peruses bookstores while traveling. continues her endeavors. For example, she found the book that eventually would become, in translation, The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat. Since the award’s inception in 1968, forty books have received the award. Established by the Association for Library Service to Executive Editor Francoise Bui at Delacorte, also fluent in French, Children (ALSC), the award recognizes an American publisher discovered The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz. Horowitz for a children’s book (any trade book for which children up to noted, “Between us, we search and seek the best of what is out and including age 14 are a potential audience) considered to there to acquire for the U.S. market. I am always actively buying be the most outstanding of those books originally published foreign novels when I am in Bologna and Frankfurt.”3 in a non-English language from other nations of the world and subsequently published in English in the United States during Marc Aronson, editor for Cricket Books, proposed to the pub- the previous year.1 lisher that Karin Gündisch’s German original be published as How I Became an American. Although she had never visited Honor Books were added in 1994, and the award can be the States, the Romanian-German author based her story on withheld, as was the case in 1978 and 1993. Each year, a new family history about a boy who immigrated to Ohio. For Harry Batchelder Award committee reviews titles that may qualify. Kullman’s Stridhästen, eventually translated as The Battle Horse, ten American publishers declined to consider it for publication For “crossing the international border,” an editor discovers a before Richard Jackson, vice president and editor-in-chief at Bradbury Press, and his partner Robert Verrone, offered to com- mission a translation and publish the book. Only one book that Karen Nelson Hoyle is a Professor received the award was translated from a Moscow periodical, and Curator of the Children’s rather than a book—“Listy Kamennoi Knigi” became An Old Literature Research Collections Tale Carved Out of Stone. (CLRC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On occasion, agencies such as the International Children’s Book Service in Copenhagen or the Japan Foreign-Rights Centre

14 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant become intermediaries. Virginia Allen Jensen, owner of the into the German army. The Man from the Other Side is based Copenhagen agency, wrote, on a true story about a boy living in a Warsaw Ghetto. In The Lady with the Hat, World War II survivors search for a country Sometimes in a conversation at a dinner party or a reception in which they and relatives are welcome. Almost twenty years at a book fair, an author’s name or a book title comes up, passed between the first and the fourth Orlev book, Run Boy and several editors will make a note of it and follow up with Run, about eight-year-old Srulik, who survives the Holocaust a request for a reading copy. It even happens that a brief while living in the Warsaw Ghetto. conversation in the aisle at a book fair is enough to raise an editor’s curiosity. Here I should note that it is much harder to Alki Zei, born and raised in Greece, authored three books that interest an editor in ‘older’ titles than in new upcoming titles won the Batchelder Award; the author has since lived in Russia, and authors.4 Uzbekistan, France, and Italy.5 Her translator, Edward Fenton, is an American who spent time in Greece, and he translated The subject matter of these forty award books can be divided this trio of books within a ten-year period. Wildcat Under Glass (in descending order) into historical fiction, contemporary life, originated in Athens as To kaplani tis Vitrinas and Petros’ War fantastic realism, and folktale. Of the twenty-four historical was Ho Megalos Peripatos tou Petrou in Greek. Rather than in fiction titles, fifteen deal with war or pending war. The Winter Greece, the author’s The Sound of the Dragon’s Feet, was set in When Time Was Frozen describes the German World War II pre-revolutionary Russia. occupation of the Netherlands and An Innocent Soldier portrays a participant in Napoleon’s campaign to Moscow. The latter is Danish author Bjarne Reuter and Josef Holub tie, with two written by Josef Holub, who was himself conscripted into the award books each, and subject matter differs substantively German army as a seventeen-year-old. In a village archive, for both. The humorous Buster’s World by Reuter depicts a Holub read about one in three hundred of fifteen thousand who child eager to perform magic tricks for his classmates, while at survived the Moscow campaign. Rudolf Frank’s No Hero for the home he faces an alcoholic father. Reuter’s The Boys of St. Petri Kaiser, about a fourteen-year-old boy named Jan in World War describes Danish teenagers who use sabotage against the Nazi I, was published in Germany in the 1930s and publicly burned occupation in 1942. by Hitler because it was deemed to have anti-war sentiment. It re-emerged in the United States in 1986. Another nine titles Joseph Holub’s book The Robber and Me, published in 1997, are historical fiction with subjects other than war, including describes how Boniface meets the gentle Robber Knapp in the The Shadows of Ghadames, in which eleven-year-old Malika village of Graab, while the book published only eight years later, acquires new understandings about her nineteenth-century An Innocent Soldier, reveals the horrors of war. Libyan village. CLRC at the University of Minnesota Libraries endeavors to Nine of these titles about contemporary life reached the award collect the original language edition as well as the award book, pinnacle. Daniella Carmi set her book Samir and Yonatan in an author and translator manuscripts, and related correspon- Israeli hospital ward. Five blend fantasy and realism, includ- dence. The collection holds only a single author partial man- ing The Pull of the Ocean, which is reminiscent of Charles uscript—a first draft in Swedish shorthand by Astrid Lindgren. Perrault’s fairy tale “Tom Thumb,” while the most recent winner, Brave Story, depicts the boy Wataru, who enters a videogame. The one folktale among the award books is a tra- ditional cat-and-mouse story.

Over the years, the Batchelder award books originated primarily with titles published first in Western European languages. Exceptions are five titles in Hebrew by the same author, three titles from Japanese and one Russian. The German language dominates, with four- teen award winners originating in the lan- guage. The first Batchelder Award title was Erich Kästner’s The Little Man, which was translated from Der Kleine Mann by James Kirkup.

Israeli author Uri Orlev is the author of four winning books, all translated by Hillel Halkin. In The Island on Bird Street, Alex lives in The 2008 Batchelder Committee, left to right: Susan Poulter, Ginny Moore Kruse, chair an abandoned building in Poland after his Fran Ware, Annette Goldsmith, and Anna Healy. mother disappears and his father is drafted Photo courtesy of Ginny Moore Kruse

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 15 Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant Ronja rövardotter, translated by Patricia Crampton as Ronia, using blue ink and red pen- the Robber’s Daughter, tells the story of a courageous girl who cil is not identified. The supports her father’s band until she becomes friendly with his word “shadows” is changed rival’s son. Translators’ manuscripts are also in the collection for to “shadings,” “pantaloons” some fifteen titles. is changed to “breeches,” “knapsack” to “satchel,” and Several books possess titles, character names, and text literally “fabric” to “tapestry.”8 translated to the English language, while others change signifi- cantly. Some translator holograph, or handwritten, drafts are in The Apprentice by Pilar Molina Character names may Llorente, translated from Spanish the collection, such as Ann Conrad Lammer’s handwritten first either remain the same or by Robin Longshaw, published draft for Jörg Steiner’s Rabbit Island. Alison Gode, translator of by Farrar, 1993. change. The boy in Austrian Pulga by S. R. Van Iterson, was paid $15 for translating each one Christine Nöstlinger’s thousand words in 1970. While most translators are identifi- Konrad retains his name in the American edition, despite the able as individuals, Hiroshima No Pika was “translated through more common spelling beginning with the letter C. However, Kurita-Bando Literary Agency.” In this story, a seven-year-old translator Lise Sømme McKinnon substituted “Teddy” for the girl faces the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing. Norwegian boy’s nickname “Bamse,” often used for a teddy bear toy in Norway, in Don’t Take Teddy taken from Babbis Translators often struggle with many aspects of the text, Friis-Baastad’s Ikke ta Bamse. A few pages of her draft exist in from title to characters to English word choice. Rika Lesser’s the CLRC with changes marked in magenta and two shades of translation from the original of A Hand Full of Stars from the blue ink. For example, on page nine of a draft of the first chap- German Eine Hand Voller Sterne is a good example of what ter “The Handball Game,” the original word choice “guarded” barriers must be overcome. In her “Notes and Comments for becomes “blocked.”9 Editor Donna,” Lesser raises questions about character names, dates, money, the metric system, street names, style, and other Translators struggle with many aspects of the text. For In issues. She struggles with three different spellings in authorita- the Land of Ur, Stella Humphries’ translation carbon copy is tive reference books for “Abdülhamid.” The translator requests marked with blue ink, changing a description of a thunder- editorial advice about which is better, “Josef” or “Joseph” and storm from “bathing” to “drenching them in livid green,” sub- “Georg” or “George.” Then she ponders whether the closest stituting “ferryman” for “boatman,” and “shot” to “wounded in meaning of the word “stolperbein” is “stumbling” or “bum” the upper thigh.”10 leg.6 In preparing The Sound of the Dragon’s Feet, Edward Fenton typed X across words and phrases, while he marked When George Blecher and his wife Lone Thygesen-Blecher in ink other words on his double-spaced carbon typescript, worked on Ulf Nilsson’s If You Didn’t Have Me, one translated proposing a substitute “casual way” for his first choice, “indif- on yellow foolscap paper and tried “puttra . . . white puffers” ferently” in chapter 1.7 and “bubbles” as the appropriate words. Then the spouse jotted down a series of pages with questions and a play on words, “om The titles Hiroshima No Pika and Rose Blanche remain iden- ni inte hade mig.”11 tical in both editions; the latter was co-published in 1985 by both Editions in Lausanne and Creative Education in Copy editing is in evidence in Cathy Hirano’s translator manu- Mankato, Minnesota, with the same title. Peter Härtling’s script for The Friends, a book about three young boys intrigued Crutches was translated literally by Elizabeth D. Crawford by death and dying. In chapter eight, “ten centimeters” is from the German Krücke. Among those that are direct trans- changed to “five inches” and in chapter eleven, “ten meters” lations are Hans Baumann’s In the Land of Ur: The Discovery changes to “twenty feet.” In chapter eight, “window” is elimi- of Ancient Mesopotamia from Im Lande Ur; Die Entdeckung nated from the original translation, “screen window.” Chapter Altmesopotamiens. Similarly, Ruth Hürlimann’s retelling of the 12’s expression “Eh?,” meaning “what?” is substituted by “Huh.” Brothers Grimm tale, Katze und Maus in Gessellschaft is trans- Chapter 11 includes word choices from “pachinko parlor” to lated directly by Anthea Bell as The Cat and Mouse Who Shared “pinball parlor” and “bank tellers” to “bank clerks.” In chap- a House. This British citizen translated books by Reuter as well ters 12, 13, and 15, “toilet” converts to “bathroom.” In chapter as Christine Nöstlinger’s Konrad. 13, “keeper” changes to “goalie” and the phrase, “slathers our wounds with ointment” changes to “pours disinfectant on our In contrast, other titles change significantly. Translator Edward wounds.” In chapter 14, “futon” is replaced by “covers” and Fenton used the working title Beside the Railway Tracks for Alki in 15, “apartment block” is changed to “apartment complex.” Zei’s The Sound of Dragon’s Feet. A literal translation of Kazumi “Cicadas” is replaced by “insects” and “sieve” by “colander.” Yet Yumoto’s book transcribed as Natsu No Niwa would be Summer’s the locations remain constant, such as “Hokkaido, “Aibetsu,” Garden, but it was titled in the United States as The Friends. and “Toma.” 12

In The Apprentice by Pilar Molina Llorente, translator Robin Dutch author Siny Rose Van Iterson, who lived in Colombia, was Longshaw retains the boys’ names Piero and the narrator the author of Pulga, about a street urchin in the Bogota slums Arduino, but changes their companion from “Simon” to who lands a job. The translator Alison Gode for the original “Marco.” The individual who made changes to the typescript De Adjudant van de Vrachwagen proposed to her American

16 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant editor Connie Epstein that Pulga would be a better title than translation, The Little Man. The Teamster’s Helper or the working title, The Truckdriver’s Assistant. In addition, she recommended for the American edi- Some American artists depart significantly in subject matter, tion a map of Colombia similar to that used for the end papers medium, and style to interpret the text. While the Danish Cecil of the Dutch book. Heeding her suggestion, the editor promised Bødker’s Leoparden is faithfully translated as The Leopard, its a map. Correspondence reveals that during the time in 1970 new dust jacket by Elzia Moon, with a wide-nosed child, seems when she was translating the work, her husband died. As his inappropriate for an Ethiopian boy. Sometimes the cover and business was Interlingua Translations and he was a member interior illustrations in the two books differ remarkably. of the American Translator’s Association, he could have been helpful to her.13 For Krücke, she abstracted a boy’s face and a single leg with one crutch, superimposed on a red street map. The American The literal translation for Hans Peter Richter’s Damals war es Wendell Minor’s art bears no relationship to that of the original Friedrich could have been “Unfortunately, it is Friedrich,” but illustrator Susanne Berner. He drew a boy wearing hat and coat it was published in the States as Friedrich. Edite Kroll’s transla- and holding a blanket against a background of a bombed city, tor’s manuscript is an early draft, with multiple changes in pen train engine, and rubble for the American edition Crutches. and pencil on each typed page. Much of the text is tightened, with phrases crossed out and changed, such as “landlord” for Another example is Ilon “owner.” The carbon final copy is clean, with only a few inter- Wikland’s cover for the polations.14 Maryka and Raphael Rudnik made a few changes in Swedish Ronja rövardotter their translation from Dutch of Els Pelgrom’s The Winter When by Lindgren, depicting a Time Was Frozen. “Sledding” substitutes for the first proposed girl with a bow and arrow phrase, “sleighing in the dark.”15 and a castle in the dis- tance, creating a mood of Blecher and Thygesen-Blecher translated the book The Battle fantasy. In contrast, Ronia, Horse by Harry Kullman, writing the first draft by hand in The Robber’s Daughter Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter by pencil or blue ink and correcting with red ink on yellow lined Astrid Lindgren, translated from jacket art by Caldecott paper. Author and translator corresponded with one another. Swedish by Patricia Crampton, Award–winning illustrator The Swedish editor forwarded a letter with page numbers and published by Viking Press, 1983. Trina Schart Hyman por- related questions. Kullman responded in detail, on four pages trays a wild-appearing yet of single spaced lines, to queries about a sailboat, the mov- glamorous girl with hands on hips in the foreground and a boy ies, class differences, and conveyed the fact that many cows in running toward her through the woods in the background. Sweden are named “Rosa.” In a letter dated September 17, 1980, sent from Stockholm, Kullman wrote, While Wolfgang Rudelius drew a nondescript boy standing next to his bicycle for Eine Hand Voller Sterne, Barbara Roman Dear George . . . Your way of translating the tricky points sounds instead drew with pencil on grained paper the teenage protago- extremely fine to me and I hope that it will sound better in the nist, his Uncle Salim, and girlfriend Nadia against a silhouette American language than it does in Swedish! I am very proud of mosque and minaret, much more suggestive of Damascus, that my book has fallen into so competent hands.16 Syria, for the translated A Hand Full of Stars.

When the translator requested a map of the setting in In the Danish edition of Busters verden, Mette Svarre depicts a Stockholm, Kullman sketched a map with labels in Swedish boy fleeing and girl at a standstill, viewed from the back with and English prior to George’s visit and invited him to stay in houses and church nearby in her night scene. Buster’s World his own home. illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky presents a completely different scene with the boy wearing the hat of a magician performing a trick * * * * * while the angry teacher and fascinated pupils look The American publisher must consider sales and how the on. Zelinsky tried several appearance of a book will appeal to the librarian, teacher, or positions for the jacket, parent who will purchase the book. The child or young adult and those studies reside must be attracted to the translated book. Jacket and interior in the CLRC. Some books, illustrations may be replicas of the original or redone by an such as the Japanese edi- American artist. tion of The Friends, lack illustrations in the origi- German artist Ruth Hürlimann’s picture book illustrations in nal. For the jacket art in both Katze und Maus in Gessellschaft and The Cat and Mouse the American edition, Busters Verden by Bjarne Reuter, Who Shared a House appear exactly the same in format and Tatsuro Kiuchi painted published in Denmark by Branner og Koch, 1980 (left); Buster’s World, three boys wearing art. Likewise, the American version of Hiroshima No Pika uti- translated from Danish by Anthea lizes not only the same title, but replicates the picture book Western-type shirts and Bell, published by Dutton, 1989 art. Kästner’s Der Kleine Mann has the same jacket image in its short pants with a soccer (right).

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 17 Forty Years Old and Still Vibrant ball on the ground nearby. This scene familiar to children might language, including the title, character names and phrases, encourage them to read the book. and visual art must be balanced against child appeal and read- ability. &

Publicizing the Batchelder Award Portions of this article were presented at the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing conference July The American Library Association (ALA) has publicized the 11–14, 2007, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. award since its founding. The booklist with or without annota- tions has been published in various formats. Barbara Elleman For a comprehensive list of all the Batchelder Award titles, visit compiled a list of books that had won the award from its found- www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/batchel- ing through 1990.17 Joan Irene Stidham Nist analyzed the con- deraward/batchelderaward.cfm. tent of the award books for her doctoral dissertation while at the University of Alabama,18 and she summarized her findings in Bookbird.19 ALA occasionally publishes a pamphlet listing the References books.20 In 1998, a list of awardees through 1996 was published in The Reading Teacher.21 1. ALA Handbook of Organization (Chicago: ALA, 2007), 76. 2. Beverly Horowitz, e-mail message to author, July 5, 2007. Batchelder was a children’s librarian and then the executive 3. Ibid. secretary of the Children’s Services Division (now ALSC) of 4. Virginia Allen Jensen, fax message to author, July 9, 2007. ALA. Her work, which spans three decades, continues to have 5. “Alki Zei,” Something About the Author 24 (Detroit: Gale, international influence. She exercised leadership in personally 1981): 223. acquiring award books given in her name from many lands 6. Rika Lesser, translator manuscript, MF 2230, Children’s both in original language editions and in English translations Literature Research Collections, University of Minnesota when possible. In this effort she corresponded extensively with (CLRC). publishers, editors, authors, and librarians around the world. 7. Edward Fenton, translator manuscript, MF 1017 (CLRC). 8. Robin Longshaw, translator manuscript, MF 2051 (CLRC). While her official ALSC correspondence resides in the ALA 9. Lise Sømme McKinnon, translator manuscript, MF 581 archives at the University of Illinois in Champaign, much of her (CLRC). personal international exchange is at the CLRC. She selected 10. Stella Humphries, translator manuscript, MF 460 (CLRC). this library as the permanent home for both her books and 11. George Blecher and Lone Thygesen-Blecher, translator archival holdings.22 manuscript, MF 1416 (CLRC). 12. Cathy Hirano, translator manuscript, MF 2389 (CLRC). The CLRC staff now routinely acquires translated titles in English 13. Alison Gode, translator manuscript, MF 348 (CLRC). and the original counterpart edition, frequently assisted by the 14. Edite Kroll, translator manuscript, MF 529 (CLRC). American publisher receiving the award. Visitors can view the 15. Maryka and Raphael Rudnik, translator manuscript, MF thirty American awardees and their international counterpart 692 (CLRC). books, author and translator manuscripts, illustrations, and 16. Harry Kullman, letter to George Blecher, Sept. 17, 1980, MF correspondence pertinent to them. Some research patrons may 1417 (CLRC). read both versions for comparative study and examine related 17. Barbara Elleman, “The Mildred L. Batchelder Award materials. A scholar may glean information about the roles and Books,” Booklist 86 (April 1, 1990): 1564. decision-making processes of author, translator, artist, and 18. Joan Irene Stidham Nist, The Mildred L. Batchelder editor. Award Books, 1968–1977: A Decade of Honored Children’s Literature in Translation (Auburn, Ala.: Auburn University, Only three publishers have won the award five times: Dutton, 1977). Random House and its imprints (Delacorte, Pantheon, and 19. Joan Irene Stidham Nist, “Cultural Bonds and Serious Dial), and the now defunct Morrow/Lothrop. Houghton Mifflin Themes in United States Translated Children’s Books. A won four times with one author, Uri Orlev, and Scholastic, with Study of the First Twenty Years, 1968–1987 of the Mildred Chicken House and Arthur A. Levine imprints, won three times. L. Batchelder Award.” Bookbird 26 (Nov. 1988): 5–9. However, with few exceptions, the book eventually goes out of 20. The Mildred L. Batchelder Award Books 1990 (Chicago: print. Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord is an exception, and there ALA, 1990). is an option for a forthcoming movie. 21. Rosie Webb Joels and Jackie K. Barnette, “Promoting World Peace and Understanding: The Batchelder Award-Winning The forty Batchelder Award books with their original non-Eng- Books,” The Reading Teacher 51 (Dec./Jan. 1998): 358–59. lish-language editions provide the basis for comparison and 22. Karen Nelson Hoyle, “International Projects in the Kerlan contrast in both text and art. Translators seem sensitive to the Collection,” Bookbird 13 (1976): 17–28. American readers and make changes appropriate to American children. Artists, too, may create dust jackets that communi- cate to the new land and culture. Concern for replicating the

18 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Brave Story Not Just Another Epic for Younger Readers Susan A. M. Poulter

top me if you’ve heard this one. It’s a children’s book about is intended to encourage publishers to seek out great children’s a boy whose home life is unhappy at best. He meets some- books from around the world and is awarded to the publisher Sone who ushers him into a world he could only imagine, of the book deemed to be the most outstanding children’s book and there he makes friends with humans and nonhumans alike. originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, Ultimately he goes on a quest that he must complete if he wants and subsequently translated into English for the American mar- to change the world. If he fails, he will die. ket in the previous year.

Sound familiar? No, it’s not the Harry Potter saga. It’s Brave Now, why would children want to read this massive, 816-page Story, Miyuki Miyabe’s stunning book for young readers. Just tome? Let’s take a look at the story in a bit more detail. keeping track of the many versions of this story can keep a slightly obsessed fan busy. There’s the Japanese-language novel Wataru is just trying to make it to summer vacation; he gets to that started it all (ブレイブ・ストーリー bureibu sutōrī), pub- spend a whole month with his grandparents at the shore this lished in 2003; then there are the seventeen (so far) volumes of year, not just a couple of weeks. There’s something going on Japanese-language manga based on the novel, with publication with his parents, but eleven-year-old Wataru isn’t sure just what beginning in 2004; the animated film released in Japan in 2006; is happening. His father is gone a lot, and his mother spends a and the video games (Brave Story: My Dreams and Wishes for lot of time crying. Nintendo DS, Brave Story: Wataru’s Adventure for Sony PS2, and Brave Story: New Traveler for Sony’s PSP, all released in Japan in Near a temple in his neighborhood is a never-completed build- July 2006). ing. Construction has stopped, and everyone says the building is haunted. Walking past the building on his way home from Tokyopop began publishing the English-language translation cram school (a specialized private school with classes in the of the manga in June 2007, followed by the U.S. debut of Brave evening and on weekends, usually focused on preparing for Story: New Traveler in July, followed in August by VIZ Media’s high school or college entrance exams) one evening, Wataru publication of the novel’s translation. There are even action fig- stops when he sees the padlocked plastic over the entrance ures based on the characters as they appear in the film. move; then he sees a hand inside. Like any curious, adventure- seeking boy, Wataru goes inside. He meets a hooded man in In January, Brave Story’s publisher, VIZ Media, was named the front of a glowing door who questions Wataru about why he winner of ALSC’s 2008 Mildred L. Batchelder Award. The award has come; as it becomes clear that Wataru does not know what is happening, the man casts a spell to gradually erase Wataru’s After more than a decade in academic memory of the encounter. librarianship, Susan A. M. Poulter has been a Children’s Services Librarian in When Wataru tells his beloved Uncle Lou about his adventure, Nashville, Tennessee, since 2000. She Uncle Lou wants to go back near the same time another evening served on the 2008 Batchelder Award to see if the wizard is there. Uncle Lou gets a phone call and Committee. leaves Wataru alone for a few minutes; Wataru finds not only the glowing door, which is now open, but also Mitsuru, a new and

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 19 Brave Story mysterious boy at his school. When Mitsuru runs through the Reference door, Wataru runs after him and finds himself falling through the warm air. After hitting the ground, Wataru sees a strange 1. Miyuki Miyabe, Brave Story, trans. Alexander O. Smith (San creature about the size of a dog with a corkscrew face lined with Francisco: VIZ Media, 2007), 223. sharp fangs. Just before the creature and his companions attack, Wataru is flown off by a large talking bird. Bibliography

The bird explains many things to Wataru; that the Porta Nectere, Goscinny, René. Nicholas. Illus. by Jean-Jacques Sempé. Trans. the doorway through which Wataru came, is open only for by Anthea Bell. Phaidon, 2005. 126p. ninety days every ten years; that this land is called Vision; and ———. Nicholas and the Gang. Illus. by Jean-Jacques Sempé. that Wataru must return to his world because only Travelers Trans. by Anthea Bell. Phaidon, 2007. 132p. authorized by the Gatekeeper may enter Vision. Wataru’s mem- Maruki, Toshi. Hiroshima No Pika. Trans. through Kurita- ories of this latest adventure gradually fade. Bando Literary Agency. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1982. 48p. Miyabe, Miyuki. Brave Story. Trans. by Alexander O. Smith. VIZ By now Wataru knows that his parents are divorcing; his father Media, 2007. 816p. has moved out and has a new fiancée, and his mother is just try- Stolz, Joëlle. The Shadows of Ghadames. Trans. by Catherine ing to cope with the changes. One night, Wataru is awakened by Temerson. Delacorte, 2004. 119p. Mitsuru, that mysterious boy from his school. Mitsuru tells him that Wataru’s mother has turned on the gas in the apartment because she wants to die with Wataru. Mitsuru also gives him a Traveler’s Mark that will allow him to travel freely in Vision, and explains that Vision is created in the imaginations of the people in the real world, but to enter Vision one must want to “change his fate more than life itself—to get back something that was lost.”1 Batchelder Award Acceptance Speech Eric Searleman, editor at VIZ Media After turning off the gas, Wataru heads back to the incomplete building, following Mitsuru’s instructions on finding the Porta Publishing translated fiction is a tricky business. You Nectere and entering Vision. And this is where things get really have to walk a fine line between respecting the source interesting. material and respecting the reader. As an editor who wrestles with this dilemma every day, I am deeply Wataru’s quest is to find five gemstones that will fit into the han- honored that the Association for Library Service to dle of a sword he is given, then to make his way to the Tower of Destiny. Along the way, he learns that only one of the Travelers, Children has recognized Brave Story with its Batchelder either Mitsuru or himself, will complete his quest; the other Award for 2008. will be the Halnera sacrifice and never return to his real world. While there are two Travelers, there is only one final stone. I was the editor of Brave Story, but there are a lot of people responsible for its success. Masumi Washington was the person who read the book in Japanese and acquired it for VIZ Media. Thanks to her, Brave Story Other Award Winners is reaching a worldwide audience. Alexander Smith The lists of Batchelder Award winners and honor books can did a fantastic job translating Miyuki Miyabe’s prose serve as selection tools, expanding our collections and expand- into English. Dan May gave us a wonderful and surreal ing our horizons. The Nicholas books by Goscinny and Sempé, cover painting, and Courtney Utt outdid herself with named Batchelder Honor Books in 2006 and 2008, are wonder- the book’s overall design. ful read-alouds to share with younger children, who will recog- nize their own antics in these timeless short stories; children But of course, most of the credit must go to the author looking forward to adulthood may welcome the different per- herself. Miyuki Miyabe is a wonderfully inventive writer spective provided by Joëlle Stolz’s The Shadows of Ghadames, who is just now gaining an audience outside of Japan. winner of the Batchelder Award in 2005; and even adults will We at VIZ Media are proud to have had the opportunity be moved by the 1983 Batchelder Award winner, Toshi Maruki’s to work with her, and hopefully we’ll continue working stunning Hiroshima No Pika. with her in the future.

Established in 1966, the Batchelder is one of ALSC’s older and So, for everyone involved, I’d like to again thank the lesser-known awards, but its significance should only increase ALSC for honoring us with the Batchelder Award. This in a time of globalization. The award can guide librarians will undoubtedly inspire us for years to come as we toward quality books that reflect the cultures of our increasingly continue bringing great Japanese fiction to the U.S. diverse service populations, and open the eyes of all our library users. &

20 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Let’s Pretend Exploring the Value of Play at the Library Rebecca Bane

or several years, educators and psychologists have stud- ied the relationship between pretend play and chil- Fdren and the possible effects of play upon their mental development. Many such studies suggest a causal relationship between play and the evolvement of cognitive and linguistic processes.

Here, we address the importance of pretend play in the daily lives of young children, referencing four sources who suggest the value of childhood play experiences. Readers are reminded that books can be stepping stones to play experiences. The major portion of this article is devoted to Let’s Pretend, a pro- gram held at the Hughes Main Library in Greenville, South Carolina. This program is geared toward children two to five years old accompanied by parents or caregivers.

Good news! You’re three years old, and your parents just bought a new dishwasher. Are you happy that you won’t have to wash dishes by hand anymore? Of course not, silly! You never washed dishes, anyway—just sloshed water in the sink until your fin- gertips shriveled. But you are simply amazed at the huge box the dishwasher came in. Oh, the fun and adventures you will have in that box as it becomes a playhouse, a castle, a race car, or even a puppet theater! Detective I. Brown (Gail Moore) pretends to search for clues at the library.

Rebecca Bane (pictured) is a Bad news! You’re four years old, and your parents don’t need a professional photographer and new dishwasher. You have no big box to enjoy, and you’re hun- a former Youth Services Library gry for adventure. Assistant at the Hughes Main Library of the Greenville County Good news! Your local library has great books and big boxes. (S.C.) Library System. Gail Moore, a You can listen to stories about exciting travels, then blast off in a Children’s Librarian in the Greenville space ship, cross the prairie in a covered wagon, ride the rails in County Library System, edited the your locomotive, and hibernate in a cozy cave. You are about to manuscript. embark upon an adventure, a journey of imagination. Welcome to Let’s Pretend. You’re invited!

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 21 Let’s Pretend inspiration. Books are an ideal way to supply both of these Why It’s Important building blocks.”3 Thus books stimulate the imagination, and How important is pretend play to a child’s development? imagination fosters literacy development. Educators and psychologists have performed numerous studies attempting to answer this question. According to Doris Bergen, a professor of educational psychology at Miami University in The Program Oxford, Ohio, “There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that high-quality pretend play is an important facilitator of per- The Greenville County Library System has developed a pro- spective taking and later abstract thought, that it may facilitate gram called Let’s Pretend to bring the world of make-believe higher-level cognition, and that there are clear links between to the library. Let’s Pretend is held once a month at the Hughes pretend play and social and linguistic competence.”1 Main Library for children ages 2–5 accompanied by parents or caregivers. We use books to guide children through play In today’s fast-paced society, children’s lives have become that focuses on the imagination and fosters the development so structured, their daily schedules so regimented, there is a of thinking, language, social, and physical skills. In addition, decreasing amount of room left for playtime. Even babies and parents are shown ways to convert common household items toddlers are rushed to achieve precociously as evidenced by the into playthings. Every month a different theme is presented. We creation of computer software, toys, and audiovisual materials begin with a couple of books, songs, and sometimes finger plays focused on the early achievement of these youngsters. and flannel board stories. This modified story time introduces children to the pretend play that follows it. Fred Rogers, in the introduction to his book, Mister Rogers’ Playtime, expresses his opinion on the value of play. “‘Child’s play’ is one of the most misleading phrases in our language. Going Camping People often use it to suggest something trivial, but. . . . When children play, they’re working . . . on learning about themselves, One month our theme was Let’s Pretend Camping. The chil- about other people, and about the world around them.”2 dren did not enter a program room but rather a camping scene complete with a tent, forest of animals, fishing pond, and campfire. The children sat in the tent and around the fire while Books Are Involved listening to camping stories and tales about forest animals. In between stories, children participated in action songs includ- Books can have an integral role in facilitating play experiences. ing “A-Camping We Will Go” from Barney’s Favorites, volume 1 Reading books to children opens up many avenues to explore (Capitol, 1993). Children were then given sheets and chairs to the world through pretend play. In a 2005 Parents magazine create their own tents. article, David McKay Wilson writes, “To make up her own thoughts, a child needs a base of knowledge about the world After the campsite setup was complete, we went on a nature (she can’t pretend she’s a space traveler or a ballerina unless walk. Using binoculars made of toilet paper rolls, we looked for she knows what an astronaut or a dancer does), and she needs animals in the forest. The trees, made of butcher paper cut-outs,

Paper trees and animals teach about Who doesn’t want to be an alien? Meet Cardboard tubes create a jungle hut. forest life. Spacey.

22 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Let’s Pretend children eager for the next program, but the parents also enjoy the experience and love to get new ideas for pretend play at home. We have received positive feedback from parents about the ideas they have acquired.

When creating the props, I try to make enough for each regis- tered child to facilitate participation. I usually let the children take their props with them at the end of the program. Parents tell me that their children enjoy playing with toilet paper rolls and egg cartons just as much, or more, than their expensive store-bought toys. Children and parents also enjoy the time spent together making homemade toys from the ideas pre- sented to them during Let’s Pretend.

The recognition of the Welcome to the jungle. importance of pretend were positioned at child’s level along the wall. Pictures of ani- play and the facilita- mals were placed at various locations throughout the forest. tion of opportunities for its occurrence can When we returned to the campsite, we went fishing. In a tackle have a lasting affect on box made from an egg carton, children found their paper-clip childhood experiences. hooks, which they attached to fishing poles (made of wooden Children do need to dowels). The children took turns fishing in a blue butcher paper become knowledge- pond full of magnetic fish that would stick to the paper clips. As able individuals, but each child caught a fish, he used the campfire (made of criss- this can begin with the crossed logs and orange and red tissue paper) to grill it. imagination. According to L. Frank Baum, in Once everyone had a “full belly,” we prepared for nightfall. The the introduction to his Rebecca Bane plays wizard during a Let’s Pretend program. overhead lights were turned down, and we brought out the book, The Lost Princess flashlights. Since fireflies come out at twilight, the children took of Oz: turns with the flashlights, participating in a firefly freeze dance. While the song “Fireflies” from Anna Moo Crackers (Good Moo’s, Imagination has given us the steam engine, the telephone, the 1998) played, children danced around in the dark with flash- talking-machine and the automobile, for these things had to lights, pretending to be fireflies. When the music stopped, the be dreamed of before they became realities. So I believe that overhead lights came on, and each child with a flashlight gave dreams—day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open it to the next child to play. Then the room lights would dim, and and your brain-machinery whizzing—are likely to lead to the the fireflies would come out again. We continued to replay the betterment of the world. The imaginative child will become song until everyone had a chance to be a firefly. This ended our the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, day of camping. and therefore to foster civilization.4

So fasten your seatbelt, and let’s pretend! & The Setup The entire Let’s Pretend program lasts approximately forty-five References minutes. The story time takes about ten to fifteen minutes fol- lowed by fifteen minutes of guided play in which we pretend 1. Doris Bergen, “The Role of Pretend Play in Children’s together and the props are introduced. The last fifteen minutes Cognitive Development,” Early Childhood Research & are left for open play and socialization for children and par- Practice 4, no. 1 (Spring 2002), http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/ ents. bergen.html (accessed Feb. 12, 2008). 2. Fred Rogers, Mister Rogers’ Playtime: Encourage Your Child to Create, Explore, and Pretend with Dozens of Easy-to-Do Our Success Activities (Philadelphia: Running Press, 2001), 8. 3. David McKay Wilson, “The Magic of Make-Believe,” Let’s Pretend has been a huge success from the start. More Parents 80, no. 4 (Apr. 2005), www.parents.com/parents/ than eighty people attended each of the first three programs. story.jsp?storyid=/templatedata/parents/story/data/6008 Because we’re more interested in quality than quantity, the .xml (accessed Feb. 12, 2008). program is now available by registration only. We register up to 4. L. Frank Baum, The Lost Princess of Oz (New York: twenty-five children but allow a waiting list. Not only are the HarperCollins, 1998), introduction.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 23 A Personal Visit with Ashley Bryan Cora Phelps Dunkley

Renowned and internationally recognized children’s author, illustrator, historian, and philanthropist Ashley Bryan recently spent time with Cora Phelps Dunkley and her husband, Paul, when an unexpected change was made in Ashley’s travel plans. The three reminisced about previous times together, and Ashley shared personal stories that related to some of his books, pre- sented an impromptu program at Paul’s school, and was the featured speaker at the Alice Smith Lecture Program, an annual event sponsored by the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida, Tampa.

have more than one reason to be excited about Ashley Bryan’s recent trip to Tampa. What may have been most meaningful Iwas his desire to always arrive in the place where he is to present a day in advance to relax, have dinner with sponsors, and perhaps spend time working on one of his many ongoing projects. Consequently, his arrival time in Tampa was to be on Saturday afternoon for a Sunday evening program.

But then fortune smiled on me—a change in travel plans afforded my husband, Paul, and me the pleasure of offering the hospitality of our home in place of a lonely hotel room.

Paul met Ashley in 2005 at the Ashley Bryan Art Series Celebration sponsored by the Youth Services Department of the

Dr. Cora Phelps Dunkley is an Assistant Professor at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida, Tampa, where she teaches school media and youth services courses. She is a former school media specialist and English teacher. She is a member of the ALA Coretta Scott King Book Award Committee, one of the committees of EMIERT (ALA), the ALSC Notable Children’s Video Committee, and the AASL Distinguished School Administrators Award Committee. Photo courtesy of Karen Nelson Hoyle

24 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries A Personal Visit with Ashley Bryan The ride from the airport was filled with pleasant conversa- tion and remembrances of other shared events. Ashley brought us up to date on his recent travels, but quickly moving away from himself, he asked Paul about his work as a middle school teacher. Paul mentioned the Family Fun Day coming up and invited Ashley to come along. Being the “people person” that he is, Ashley went to school with Paul and presented an impromptu program. Parents and teachers, as excited as the children, were eager to ask questions, and they were answered with the same eagerness.

Through conversation at home later, Paul and I could sense Ashley’s love for family as he talked about his granny. Reflecting on his treatment of the crafty spider, he stated that he could not let Spider Ananse defeat Granny Anika in his book The Dancing Granny. That is his granny!

When I asked him about the end papers in Beautiful Blackbird, he explained how he used his mother’s scissors (she used large ones for sewing and small ones for embroidery) to cut the col- orful birds that by masterful blending became an entrancing African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort collage—his first book in collage. The collage evolved into a Lauderdale, Florida. Both Paul and Ashley have personal con- rhythmic story with a special message. Talking to Ring Dove, nections to the Caribbean homeland, and each enjoyed sharing who wanted to be like Blackbird with a touch of black, he was stories of years past. told that “color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.” Is there a message here for all of us? I’ve known Ashley for many years and have Moving from discussing the collage in Beautiful Blackbird, attended several of Ashley shared with us his love and respect for spirituals, which his presentations. As a he demonstrates in his latest book Let It Shine: Three Favorite member of ALA’s Coretta Spirituals. He mentioned the importance of spirituals in his life Scott King (CSK) Book and how they are a part of the foundation in his heritage and Award Committee since continue to be in the lives of his family members in Antigua, 2003, I was in the audi- Atlanta, and Texas. ence when he delivered his acceptance speech We talked briefly about several publications he authored or and received the 2004 illustrated including CSK Illustrator Award Beat the Story Drum, for Beautiful Blackbird. Pum-Pum (1981 CSK Illustrator Award), Since Paul and I were The Cat’s Purr, and not strangers to What a Morning! Ashley, he delightfully (1988 CSK Illustrator accepted our offer to Honor Book). In spend time in our home. We assured him there would be reflecting on the no interference with time he wished to spend working on a greatest significance new project. Ashley has a philosophy about time and reit- of his family relative erated it as he so often does when one asks him about the to his writings and open-door policy of his home. “I only have this life now illustrations, Ashley . . . you cannot take my time. We share time,” he said. To know shared the accolades Ashley is to know the importance and sincerity of these state- he received from his ments. parents and siblings

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 25 A Personal Visit with Ashley Brayan for his first work, an Ashley concluded his presentation by reading Beautiful alphabet book, writ- Blackbird. As he told the story, with cues to the audience for ten when he was a responses, one could easily sense his inheritance of Granny kindergartner. Anika’s agility in his steps as he moved from one side of the room to the other to engage each member of the audience. I was excited to share Ashley’s talents at the As Paul and Ashley departed for the airport the next morning Alice Smith Lecture after a hearty home-cooked breakfast, I reflected on how fortu- Program. This is an nate we were to have had the opportunity to spend such time annual event spon- with Ashley in our home. He is a man of integrity, wisdom, and sored by the School patience, but most of all, he is a man who loves people in gen- of Library and eral, children in particular, and who welcomes opportunities to Information Science, share a poem, a spiritual, or a story with any audience. & University of South Florida, honoring the first director of the Bibliography library school. Smith Cora Phelps Dunkley and Paul Dunkley is remembered for Bryan, Ashley. Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum. Illus. by the her love and knowl- author. Atheneum, 1980. 68p. edge of children’s literature. This celebration was the ultimate ———. Beautiful Blackbird. Illus. by the author. Atheneum, reason for Ashley’s visit to Tampa. 2003. Unpaged. ———. The Cat’s Purr. Illus. by the author. Atheneum, 1985. He grabbed the audience’s attention the minute he stood and Unpaged. began to speak. As he recited poetry by Nikki Giovanni and ———. The Dancing Granny. Illus. by the author. Atheneum, Langston Hughes, his infectious spirit made all eager to hear 1977. Unpaged. more. His history lesson on spirituals brought an awareness of ———. Let It Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals. Illus. by the their importance in the lives of all people, and as he played his author. Atheneum, 2007. Unpaged. musical rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” on his recorder, Langstaff, John, ed. What a Morning!: The Christmas Story in the audience could be heard softly singing. Black Spirituals. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. Photos by John Andrew Ross. Macmillan, 1987. Unpaged.

26 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Opening Doors Visual and Textual Analyses of Diverse Latino Subcultures in Américas Picture Books Jamie C. Naidoo

n July 1, 2002, Latinos became the largest ethnic minor- National Education Association, “Exposing Latino children to ity in the United States with 38.8 million residents books that reflect their culture as well as their language is one of O identifying as Latino.1 More recent estimates indicate the most effective ways of motivating them to stay in school.”6 that 44.3 million U.S. residents identify as belonging to this cul- In addition, providing such books improves the ethnic identity tural group.2 Nearly eight million Latino children are enrolled in and self-esteem of children from the culture being represented U.S. nursery schools, kindergartens, and elementary schools.3 and provides positive and accurate representations of the These children represent a heterogeneous group celebrating Latino culture that can be embraced by non-Latino children the diverse perspectives, origins, and subcultures from Mexico, and educators. Unfortunately, most teaching materials and Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.4 children’s books about Latinos frequently stereotype them as a monolithic group rather than embracing the rich diversity of Edward James Olmos asserts, “Much like a quilt woven intri- the Latino subcultures. cately with many beautiful fibers, Latinos are a proud and diverse people interwoven with indigenous, Spanish/European, When compared to their strong presence in U.S. society, Latinos African, and Asian roots. . . . [They] are citizens not only of the are significantly underrepresented in children’s literature. Each United States of America, but also of all the Americas and of year the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) compiles the Latin American countries around the world.”5 Often the annual statistics of children’s books published in the United U.S. media do not represent this multicolored tapestry of the States. According to the CCBC, of the approximately five thou- Latino people. Instead, a “Latin look” of brown skin, dark hair sand books published in the United States in 2006, an estimated and eyes, and a predilection for the Mexican subculture reigns 1.5 percent contained Latino themes and topics and roughly 1 through the images created by media that purport to represent percentwere created specifically by Latino authors and illus- the diversity of the Latino subcultures. trators.7 These statistics have remained steady for more than a decade, reinforcing the concern from researchers that while It is important for Latino children, as well as their non-Latino the number of Latinos in the United States is increasing each peers and educators, to encounter positive representations of year, the number of children’s books published about and by the Latino subcultures in the books they read. According to the them is not.8

Jamie C. Naidoo, PhD, is an Endowed Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama’s School of Library and Information Studies, Tuscaloosa, where he teaches and researches in the areas of Latino children’s literature and literacy, international and multicultural youth literature, and library services to diverse populations. He is the co-developer of the Annual Celebration of Latino Children’s Literature Conference. Currently, he is a member of the 2008–2010 Américas Awards and 2009 Caldecott committees, and immediate past member of the 2008 Pura Belpré Award committee.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 27 Opening Doors

This lack of representation of an ethnic minority is not a new and reinforces in those who already know about them, the trend in U.S. children’s book publishing. In her seminal article importance of our stories in terms of family and culture. These “The All-White World of Children’s Books,” Larrick described books are very personal, and the young reader will discover the paucity and mediocrity of the representation of African how rich the connections can be between the young and the Americans in children’s books.9 Surveying 5,206 children’s books old, between community and self, and will be encouraged to published during a three-year period by sixty-three different find creativity in his/her own home environment.13 publishers, the author found only 6.7 percent had African American characters, most of which perpetuated stereotypes. Since its inception, the award has been well-received by Thus, Larrick surmised, “Integration may be the law of the land, researchers in the library and children’s literature fields. Dresang but most of the books children see are all white.”10 suggests that titles winning the Américas have particular appeal to youth in the digital age, helping them “gain the necessary Regrettably, the same can be said about the representation of experiences for twenty-first-century literacy.”14 She posits that Latinos in U.S. children’s books today. Compared to all of the a significant portion of the Américas books embody radical children’s books being published each year, there are few books change—a shift in formats and perspectives that coincide with that represent the Latino culture and even fewer that portray advances in technology and multimodal texts. These changes the population’s diversity and many subcultures. create “books that provide the type of reading experience that, because of their interactivity, connectivity, and access, may In an effort to improve the quality and quantity of Latino rep- appeal particularly to net-generation youth.”15 resentation in children’s and young adult books in the 1990s, U.S. educators and librarians created literary awards for Latino Similarly, Bloem notes that the Américas winners authenti- children’s literature. The first of these honors was the Américas cally highlight the various facets of Latino culture and remarks Award, established by the national Consortium of Latin American “as the world gets more complicated and complex because of Studies Programs (CLASP). According to the award’s website, immigration, language diversity and mobility, how good and important it is to have a major award such as the Americas [sic] the Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of that focuses on cultural rather than national boundaries!”16 fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous Like all award-winning books, titles receiving the Américas are year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly incorporated into the educational curriculum by teachers and portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the librarians. Numerous Latino early-literacy programs recommend United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the Américas award books to parents and educators of Latino the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as children. Curriculum guides for these award books are also avail- multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead able on the award’s website, and numerous library programming upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere.11 ideas are available through print and electronic resources.

The criteria for selecting award winners and commended titles As a result of these endorsements and recommended appli- include: “1) distinctive literary quality; 2) cultural contextu- cations, the visual and textual messages inscribed within the alization; 3) exceptional integration of text, illustration, and award books are encountered daily by Latino and non-Latino design; and 4) potential for classroom use.”12 children and educators each time the books are used in a class- room lesson, shared during storytime, or selected by children for their independent pleasure reading. Some of these visual Américas Award Books: Purveyors of Cultural Heritage? and textual messages speak to the socioeconomic status, edu- cation level, physical appearance, cultural traits, and moral In 2008, the Américas Award celebrates its fifteenth year of rec- attitudes of Latinos. While it is assumed that the Américas ognizing positive and accurate portrayals of Latin Americans, books convey accurate messages, an analysis is necessary to U.S. Latinos, and Caribbeans in children’s and young adult lit- determine the precise social and cultural messages transmitted erature. The award has significantly affected the quality of U.S. about the Latino subcultures. Exploring these representations juvenile books written about and by these diverse populations. can highlight the level of accuracy and variety portrayed in Since the establishment of the Américas, more artists have children’s books that have been honored for their authenticity begun to realize the importance of creating literary works for and literary merit relative to their depiction of the Latino cul- young people that celebrate the traditions of Latin American ture. Any negative messages and cultural omissions highlighted and Caribbean cultures throughout the Americas. Cultures by such a study can be addressed by librarians and educators long silenced have finally been given a voice. Américas award- when using these books. winning author Amelia Lau Carling emphasizes the importance of the award: This information could also help them in leading discussions around the identified issues, thereby preventing the destruc- The Américas Award matters because it opens doors to views tive effects on self-esteem and ethnic identity development of about American life and life in Latin America to people— Latino children. In addition, it will help in the deconstruction of especially children—who have not been exposed to them, cultural stereotypes in non-Latino children.

28 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Opening Doors

portrayed the Mexican (15.5%) or Mexican American (33.8%) Examining the Visual and Textual Imagery subcultures. The remaining Latino subcultures were margin- ally represented: Puerto Rican 4.2%, Central American 8.5%, As part of a larger study that examined both Américas and Cuban 5.6%, and South American 4.2%. More specifically, the Belpré award-winning picture books, the illustrations and Central American subcultures presented were the Costa Rican, texts of a sample of seventy-one children’s picture books El Salvadorian, Guatemalan, and Panamanian; and the South receiving the Américas Award, Américas Honor, or making the American subcultures represented were the Argentinean, Américas Commended lists from 1993 to 2004 were analyzed. Venezuelan, and Brazilian cultures. In almost 10% of the pic- These books were examined using a coding instrument that turebooks, a Generic Latino subculture with no specific cul- was developed from a literature review of the representation tural traits, such as the one presented in Elisa Kleven’s Hooray, of Latinos in U.S. children’s picture books, the checklists from A Piñata, was depicted.18 previous studies on children’s books about Latinos, and guiding research questions. Consequently, educators and children reading only these award-winning picture books could develop the erroneous To determine how the Latino people and their subcultures were belief that a few Latinos live in the Caribbean, while most are represented in the visual and textual messages of the picture from Mexico or are Mexican American. Perhaps this significant books, three methodologies were incorporated—textual con- depiction of Mexican and Caribbean subcultures in the picture tent analysis, visual content analysis, and semiotic analysis. books is correlated to the large presence of these groups within the overall U.S. population. Since these cultural groups have Applying textual content analysis provided data that was later greater visibility within the U.S. population, then, conceivably, analyzed to understand how Latinos are represented within publishers are more likely to produce books that represent the textual narrative of the picture books. The visual content these populations in lieu of books about smaller, less populous analysis examined the frequency of various elements within Latino subcultures. Nonetheless, children from these other cul- the illustrations such as gender, race, sexual orientation, age, tures deserve greater representation in the award picture books. type of dress, facial expressions, and so on. The semiotic Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of Latino subcultures as they analysis offered insight into the representational and symbolic are presented in the Américas picture books. messages associated with the Latino people and subculture, and demonstrated the types of messages that Latino and non- Latino children encounter in the award books. Characterization of Latinos in Narratives and Illustrations

By limiting the study to an analysis of picture books, the The illustrations in the picture books represented male and researcher examined literature encountered earliest by Latino female Latino characters equally; however, their portrayal in and non-Latino children and was able to explore the visual terms of gender roles was unbalanced. Although a proportion imagery, as well as the textual imagery, inscribed within these of the picture books provided alternative depictions of Latinos books. While the analysis of the textual messages in all of defying traditional gender roles, gender stereotyping persisted the Américas books (novels and picture books) is appro- for female Latino characters in 37 percent of the books and for priate, this study was more concerned with the literature encountered by the approximately eight million Latino children enrolled in U.S. nursery schools, kindergarten programs, and elementary schools. For a full explanation of the study includ- ing the sampling and reliability procedures, see my disserta- tion, “Embracing the Faces at the Window: Visual and Textual Representation of Latino Subcultures in the Américas and Pura Belpré Award-winning Picturebooks.”17

Depiction of Latino Subcultures

An analysis of the study suggested that the award picture books provided divergent representations of Latino subcul- tures, with some subcultures being overrepresented and other cultures having minimal representation. Collectively, the books overlooked many of the South and Central American Latino subcultures, focusing predominantly on the Mexican, Mexican American, and Caribbean subcultures. This was evinced by the fact 18.3% of the books represented Caribbeans (Haitians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Dominicans, or nonspe- Figure 1. Distribution of Latino Subcultures in Américas and Pura Belpré Picture Books. cific Caribbeans) and almost half the award books mutually

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 29 Opening Doors male Latino characters in 23 percent. These portrayals fail to ing, colorful, and postcard-like. More than 90 percent of the recognize the strides that females have made in terms of gender award books included realistic portrayals of barrios, allowing equality within society. readers to formulate accurate perceptions of the daily lives of Latinos and their environments. The analyses revealed a significant shift in the representation of the socioeconomic status of Latino characters. With almost Prior to the creation of the Américas awards, depictions of an equal representation of both lower and middle classes, the Latinos in U.S. children’s books conveyed an overall atmo- award books challenged past representations of Latinos as sphere of despair stemming from Latinos being “rescued” from being primarily of low socioeconomic status. A small percent- their problems by Anglos or being forced to move to the United age of the books, such as Pat Mora and Beatrice Vidal’s A Library States to achieve success.24 These books disregarded the values for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Inés, even represented Latinos and traditions that were integral to the Latino culture. in the high socioeconomic category—a momentous change from previous studies of Latinos in youth literature.19 As a departure from this, the overall mood of the award book sample was positive and upbeat, with more than 98 percent Conversely, the picture books failed to portray the variety of depicting characters that embrace their cultural diversity rather abilities, sexual identities, and races within the individual than abandon aspects of their cultural heritage to achieve suc- Latino subcultures. Characters with mental or physical disabili- cess. Concurrently, almost half (47 percent) of the award books, ties appeared in 7 percent of the books’ illustrations, while gay such as Jonah Winter’s Frida, failed to highlight one of the most or lesbian characters were conspicuously absent. pervasive values in the Latino culture—the importance of the extended family.25 As Eggers-Piérola asserts, “For many Latinos, The conventional depiction of Latinos as having brown eyes life revolves around the tightly knit, loving bonds of la familia. accompanied by dark hair and skin, commonly referred to By tradition and by design, grandparents, aunts and uncles, as the “Latin look,” is a perpetuation of the misconception cousins, and friends of all ages are a constant presence in the that all Latinos have the same physical appearance. The book family nucleus and assume responsibility for one another’s sample amplified this fallacy with a majority of the titles illus- well-being.”26 This failure in the award books to emphasize trating Latino characters as such. Half of the books exclusively an intrinsic component of Latino culture denies the reader an depicted their characters with a Latin look. Of the remaining inclusive conception of this diverse people. books that did present at least one Latino character embody- ing racial diversity—Black (African), White (non-Anglo), and Previous studies of children’s literature have indicated that Asian Latino—almost half still contained characters with the the representation of Latinos in the role of community lead- traditional Latin look. ers is extremely marginal.27 This imbalanced depiction may ostensibly result in readers developing the erroneous belief Beyond the physical appearance of the characters, disregard for that Latinos are incapable of holding leadership roles. A fur- bicultural background was also prevalent. A large percentage ther affect could be the development of poor ethnic identity in of Latino children in the United States come from biracial or Latino children. Fortunately, at least 40 percent of the picture multiple origin backgrounds.20 As of July 1, 2004, almost half of books portray Latino characters in roles as community leaders all children under the age of 18 identified as being multiracial.21 such as teachers, store owners, healers (curanderos), and so on, According to the 2000 U.S. Census figures, more than seven a marked improvement on the status quo. hundred thousand Americans identify as part Hispanic and more than two hundred thousand identify as having multiple Many of the books contained cultural symbols (such as piña- Hispanic origins.22 With only three of the books—Alma Flor tas, calla lilies, butterflies, palm trees) that were employed to Ada’s I Love Saturday y domingos, Natasha Wing’s Jalapeño add authenticity to their illustrations. The researcher noted Bagels, and Leyla Torres’ Liliana’s Grandmothers—describing that sometimes these symbols supported the text to create a mixed-race Latino characters, this group is overwhelmingly believable reading experience surrounding the Latino subcul- underrepresented in the award-winning picture books.23 ture represented as in Amada Irma Pérez and Maya Christina Gonzalez’s My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aquí Yet an encouraging attribute of the picture books was the hasta allá, and other times they had the potential to produce positive representation of elderly characters within their illus- a contrived atmosphere that perpetuated cultural stereotypes, trations. These depictions, found in almost two-thirds of the as in Campbell Geeslin and Ana Juan’s Elena’s Serenade.28 sample, counteracted ageism and featured elderly Latinos as Accordingly, the social messages ingrained within the illustra- active members of the family and society. In fact, fewer than 3 tions ranged from expressions of cultural pride to reinforce- percent of the books with elderly characters demonstrated any ments of cultural stereotypes. signs of ageism. In My Diary from Here to There, the butterfly, depicted in almost every illustration of the book, is a symbol of metamorphosis, Settings, Plots, and Themes flight, and fragility. Since many butterflies are native only to Mexico, the butterfly is significant to the Mexican culture and a Historically, children’s books about Latinos have had the ten- source of cultural pride. Accordingly, numerous children’s books dency to glamorize Latino neighborhoods (barrios) as charm- about Latinos have included butterflies as significant cultural

30 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Opening Doors symbols: Francisco Jiménez and Simón Silva’s La Mariposa, Tony Johnston and Susan Guevara’s Isabel’s House of Butterflies, Virginia Kroll and Gerardo Suzán’s Butterfly Boy, Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of Butterflies, and Ana Baca and Anthony Accardo’s Benito’s Bizcochitos: Los Bizcochitos de Benito.29

Particularly symbolic in many of these books and in My Diary from Here to There, the monarch butterfly represents the immi- gration of fragile souls from their native home in Mexico across the U.S. border to places unknown. Yet, just like the monarch, many Mexican people will return to their country for periods of rejuvenation and growth.

On page 19 of My Diary from Here to There, readers observe clusters of grapes, which symbolize the Mexican migrant cul- ture, cascading over a two-page spread of fertile-green fields. This fruit is often used to represent Mexican immigrants who work as campesinos (farm workers) in the fields of California. Several children’s books about Latinos—particularly about Latino migrant farm workers—include grapes as the quintes- sential crop that is picked by the workers. For instance, George Ancona’s Harvest, another book examined during the textual and visual content analyses of the original study, incorporates 30 grapes as part of the book jacket illustration. Likewise, it was Elena’s Serenade by Campbell Geeslin, illustrated by Ana Juan in the grape vineyards in California that César Chávez led the (New York: Atheneum, 2004). first huelga (strike) among farm workers in 1965. Both grapes and an image of Chávez are present in the illustrations of My constantly eat tortillas or take numerous siestas under their Diary from Here to There. sombreros while leaning against cacti or riding their burros. Calla lilies, adobe houses, butterflies, and glassblowers are also Numerous props and cultural symbols abound in the illustra- significant symbols that specifically represent the Mexican cul- tions of Elena’s Serenade. A barren dirt yard filled with chickens ture; yet, instead of conveying negative images of the culture, and pigs represents the Mexican ranch. Likewise, the large som- they add authenticity to the illustrations, highlighting various brero, burro, cacti, and tortilla are culturally loaded symbols symbols of cultural pride. that have plagued visual representations of Mexicans in chil- dren’s picture books since the 1930s. These four symbols have The juxtaposition of both positive and negative culturally sig- often been used to depict Mexicans as a languid people that nificant symbols with attractive colors creates a sense of dys- phoria in the viewer. While the illustrations are quite attractive and demand the attention of the viewer, some are infused with cultural symbols that are quite negative; others contain authentic, positive signs of the culture. With these visual representations, the viewer is left to ponder which cultural symbols outweigh the others. Are Mexicans a lethargic people that take countless siestas or are they a people that actively encourage females to take on male roles? The striking illustrations create more questions than they answer.

Cultural Authenticity The debate concerning who should write about a particular culture has been raging for decades. Some critics assert that those authors residing outside a culture cannot fully capture the essence and spirit of the other culture’s experiences that are different from their own. At the same time, other literary crit- My Diary from Here to There, illustration © 2002 by Maya Christina Gonzalez. ics maintain that if authors live in a social environ- Used with permission of the publisher, Children’s Book Press, San Francisco, Calif., www.childrensbookpress.org. ment that mirrors a particular culture, then they can

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 31 Opening Doors legitimately write about that culture even though it is not their culturally diverse collections.”35 The results of this study concur own. Volumes of research have been written that support both that for some Latino subcultures the award has successfully sides of this debate.31 achieved its goal and, for others, it has been less successful.

The Américas Award is unique in scope compared to other This examination suggests that picture books winning the awards for Latino children’s literature, such as the Pura Belpré Américas Award do not represent the complete social and cul- or Tomás Rivera. As Bloem points out, “the awards committee tural mosaic of the Latino people. While some subcultures are has side-stepped the festering debate about authenticity linked overrepresented in terms of diversity, other subcultures receive to an author’s own ethnicity—these books don’t have to be little or no recognition. Likewise, certain physical features of penned or illustrated by Latinos or Latinas—and instead has characters dominate the illustrations. Latino characters with focused on authenticity of the cultural representation.”32 This disabilities and Latino children of mixed race or multiple ori- decision to not limit a title’s eligibility on the basis of the culture gins are underrepresented, while characters with alternative of the artist created an opportunity to compare the works of lifestyles are simply nonexistent in these books. Latino and non-Latino artists. Although gender stereotyping has improved, this study indi- This study suggests that Latino authors and illustrators gener- cates that a proportion of the award books still perpetuate the ally created more authentic depictions of the subcultures with- idea that Latino men are full of machismo while Latinas are out limiting these depictions to fiestas, piñata parties, and other submissive females constrained to domestic duties. Similarly, cultural stereotypes. This is a derivative of Latinos generally the socioeconomic status of Latinos depicted in the picture having more first-hand experiences with the subculture that books has improved with more Latino characters representing they are writing and illustrating about than non-Latino authors the middle class. Despite this, the overall percentage of char- and illustrators. It should be noted, however, that Latinos writ- acters depicted as low-income earners are notably higher than ing and illustrating about a particular subculture may not nec- the 21.9 percent of Latinos that were living in poverty in 2004, essarily have first-hand experience with that subculture, as they according to the U.S. Census Bureau.36 may identify with another Latino subculture. Improvements acknowledged in this study include the increased Overall, non-Latino authors and illustrators created more portrayal of Latino characters in the roles of community leaders award-winning picture books that represent the diverse Latino and a greater representation of active, elderly Latinos. It should subcultures while successfully portraying fewer gender ste- be noted that this study’s definition of community leadership reotypes. Since Latino authors and illustrators created more has been expanded to include both traditional (e.g., government books about the Mexican and Mexican American subcultures, officials) and nontraditional leadership roles (e.g., store own- which traditionally include more gender-stereotyped roles and ers, teachers, leaders of migrant farm worker movements, and narratives, their works are apt to depict more gender-defined curanderos), which varies from previously published research in roles than their non-Latino counterparts. For instance, Rudolfo this area. These books also include fewer stereotypical images Anaya and Amy Córdova’s The Santero’s Miracle: A Bilingual and use of cultural props than children’s books published dur- Story portrays Mexican-American Latinas in traditional roles ing the 1970s and 1980s, even though some flagrant images of such as cooks and caregivers, while the male characters under- cultural stereotyping still exist. Yet we should remember that take more active roles.33 the omissions found in these picture books reflect similar omis- sions within the entire body of children’s literature. It is unjusti- This last point is an issue that should be considered when fied to assume higher expectations for the Américas books than selecting children’s literature about Latinos. It has been argued other titles within the field of children’s publishing. that Latinos who create books for youth help both Latino and non-Latino children to “forge confident and secure person- alities who can speak two languages and relate to most of the For Further Study cultures of the Americas.”34 Thus the dilemma remains—should librarians and educators promote books that are authentic Limited research has been conducted on the quality of U.S. but may include gender-stereotypes, should they advocate for children’s literature about Latinos since the 1990s. This study books that are free of gender-stereotypes but less authentic, or provides the foundation for further research concerning chil- should they promote both types of books and encourage dis- dren’s literature about Latinos and the responses of both Latino cussion of the issues? and non-Latino children to this body of literature.

Among the suggestions for further research would be an A Mezcolanza of Representation examination of the visual and textual representation of the Latino subcultures in novels and other picture books winning According to Américas coordinator Julie Kline, CLASP origi- the Américas, Pura Belpré, and Tomás Rivera awards to deter- nally created the award “to encourage and commend authors, mine the social messages that Latino and non-Latino children illustrators, and publishers who produce quality children’s and encounter in additional literature that is honored for its depic- young adult books; to provide teachers with recommendations tion of the Latino subcultures. Researchers could also analyze for classroom use; and to offer librarians guidance to develop children’s books about Latinos published in other countries to

32 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Opening Doors determine how U.S. publishers portray Latinos compared to On occasion, librarians have the tendency to believe that award international publishers. Additionally, a study of how Latino books, particularly cultural ones, are a one-size-fits-all solution. and non-Latino children respond to literature about the vari- As this study indicates, limiting a library’s collection to only ous Latino subcultures would be helpful to gain insight into the Américas Award–winning picture books provides a narrow view role of cross-cultural literature in children’s understanding of of the vast Latino subcultures. By knowing which Latino sub- cultural diversity. cultures are overlooked or underrepresented in the Américas books, librarians have the opportunity to find additional books Librarians and other educators want to make the highest qual- to supplement these gaps when planning El día de los niños/El ity literature available to their patrons and students. If literature día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) and other programs from other countries provides a more positive or global view of celebrating Latino culture. Latinos than the Américas books, children in the United States should have access to them. The reactions of all children to For instance, Rigoberto González and Cecilia C. Álvarez’s cross-cultural books helps researchers and educators better Antonio’s Card/La tarjeta de Antonio could be included to fill understand the formation of cultural stereotypes and provides the void for picture books with gay and lesbian characters while a platform for discussion on topics related to cultural under- the addition of Ina Cumpiano and José Ramírez’s Quinito’s standing and tolerance. Neighborhood/El Vecindario de Quinito would provide many images of Latino characters in nontraditional gender roles and occupations (i.e., a mother as a carpenter or a father as a Practical Implications nurse).40

As educators and librarians, one of our goals is to prepare chil- Validation for books representing the diversity of the Latino dren from all cultural backgrounds to function in our culturally subcultures is best summarized by U.S. children’s book author pluralistic society. It is crucial for all children to realize that the and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats. More than forty years ago, Keats United States should be a social and cultural mosaic represent- wrote, “Let us open the book covers, these long shut doors, ing multiple subcultures with distinct compositions rather than to new and wonderful, true and inspiring books for all chil- a singular melting pot of assimilated cultures. dren about all children—the tall and short, fat and thin, dark and light, beautiful and homely. Welcome!”41 By integrating Similarly, children’s books must represent this social and cultural Américas books with other Latino children’s literature that rep- mosaic, providing mirrors of our own cultures and windows resents the richness of all the subcultures, libraries open doors into those cross-cultures of the Other. Educators, embracing and proclaim, ¡Bienvenidos! & the metaphorical face of the Other at the classroom or library window, will need to include all types of literatures that authen- For a list of Américas books and more information about the tically and accurately portray the culturally pluralistic society award, visit www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/aa/index.html. that America has become. Providing such literature allows “students from more privileged backgrounds [and dominant cultures] a sense of the lived experience of people who suffer References and Notes the effects of poverty and discrimination.”37 1. The terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are labels used Yet librarians and educators need to go one step beyond sim- interchangeably in the United States to refer to the ply supplying these books; they need to provide a forum for same population of people who live in or originate from discussing various alternative representations of culture. As Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Dudley-Marling notes, educators too often try “to match texts Each of the terms is a label loaded with both social and to the social and cultural identities of their students . . . without political implications and is accepted and rejected in regard to how they [the students] might have chosen to repre- varying degrees by the people they purport to describe. It sent those identities had they been given the opportunity.”38 is important to note that these labels are only used in the Rather than subscribing to this practice, Dudley-Marling sug- United States to describe this ethnic population. The term gests that educators “create a space where students [can] rep- “Hispanic” is often linked to conservative policy issues resent themselves or at least see themselves represented in the while “Latino” is linked to liberal policy issues. Accordingly, books in our classroom[s].”39 I use the term “Latino” to describe the people from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean in order The Américas picture books, with their positive, negative, to adopt a more liberal stance to advocate for inclusion of and limited representations of the Latino subcultures, should positive and accurate images of these diverse subcultures be shared in such a platform to facilitate discussion of the within children’s literature.; U.S. Census Bureau, “Young, social and cultural mosaic of the Latino experience. Having Diverse, Urban: Hispanic Population Reaches All-time an awareness of the precise social messages about a particular High of 38.8 Million, New Census Bureau Estimates Show,” culture—in this case the Latino culture—that children encoun- press release, June 2003, www.census.gov/Press-Release/ ter in their literary transactions will help us to facilitate our www/2003/cb03-100.html (accessed Aug. 23, 2005). children’s learning and understanding of the metaphorical 2. U.S. Census Bureau, “Minority Population Tops 100 Other in society. Million,” press release, May 2007, www.census.gov/Press

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 33 Opening Doors -Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html 17. Jamie Campbell Naidoo, “Embracing the Faces at the (accessed July 13, 2007). Window: Visual and Textual Representation of Latino 3. U.S. Census Bureau, “Selected Age Groups for the Subcultures in the Américas and Pura Belpré Award- Population by Race and Hispanic Origin for the United Winning Picturebooks” (doctoral dissertation, University States,” press release, June 2005, www.census.gov/Press of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, May 2006). -Release/www/releases/archives/natracepop2004_tb2.xls 18. Elisa Kleven, Hooray, a Piñata (New York: Dutton, 1996). (accessed Feb. 21, 2006). 19. Pat Mora and Beatriz Vidal, A Library for Juana: The World 4. The term “subculture” is used to designate the various of Sor Juana Inés (New York: Knopf, 2002). countries and cultural backgrounds from which Latinos 20. Alma Flor Ada, Alma Flor Ada and You, ed. S. L. McElmeel originate. Subcultures within the larger Latino culture (Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2005). include Puerto Rico, Central America, South America, 21. U.S. Census Bureau, “Selected Age Groups for the Mexico, and the Caribbean. Within each of these Population by Race and Hispanic Origin for the United subcultures are smaller subcultures such as the Mayan States,” press release, June 2005, www.census.gov/Press culture in Southern Mexico or the Asian subculture in -Release/www/releases/archives/natracepop2004_tb2.xls Guatemala. Latino subcultures are quite varied from each (accessed Feb. 21, 2006). other with their own customs, traditions, and heritages. 22. Roberto R. Ramirez, “Analysis of Multiple Origin Reporting 5. Edward James Olmos, “Prefacio/Preface,” in Americanos: to the Hispanic Origin Question in Census 2000,” Nov. Latino Life in the United States, ed. E. J. Olmos, L. Ybarra 2005, www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/ and M. Monterrey (Boston: Little, Brown, 1999), 9. twps0077.html (accessed Feb. 21, 2006). 6. National Education Association, “NEA’s Read Across 23. Alma Flor Ada, I Love Saturdays y domingos (New York: America Releases Hispanic Book List: K-12 Recommended Atheneum, 2002); Natasha Wing and Robert Casilla, Reading List Honors Hispanic Heritage Month,” press Jalapeño Bagels (New York: Atheneum, 1996); Leyla Torres, release, Oct. 2002, www.nea.org/nr/nr021004.html Liliana’s Grandmothers (New York: Farrar, 1998). (accessed Aug. 21, 2005). 24. Council on Interracial Books for Children, “100 Children’s 7. Cooperative Children’s Book Center, “Children’s Books Books about Puerto Ricans: A Study in Racism, Sexism, by and about People of Color Published in the United & Colonialism,” Interracial Books for Children Bulletin States,” www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/pcstats.htm 4, no. 1/2 (1972): 1, 14–15; Council on Interracial Books (accessed June 27, 2007). for Children, “Chicano Culture in Children’s Literature: 8. Alma Flor Ada, A Magical Encounter: Latino Children’s Stereotypes, Distortions, and Omissions,” Interracial Books Literature in the Classroom, 2nd ed. (Boston: Allyn and for Children Bulletin 5, no. 7/8 (1975): 7–14; Council on Bacon, 2003); Janelle B. Mathis, “Literacy Possibilities and Interracial Books for Children, Guidelines for Selecting Concerns for Mexican-American Children’s Literature: Bias-free Textbooks and Storybooks (New York: Council Readers, Writers, and Publishers Respond,” in Celebrating on Interracial Books for Children, 1980); Council on the Faces of Literacy, ed. P. E. Linder and M. Sampson Interracial Books for Children, “School Books Get Poor (Readyville, Tenn.: College Reading Association, 2002); Marks: An Analysis of Children’s Materials about Central Nina Nilsson, “How Does Hispanic Portrayal in Children’s America,” Interracial Books for Children Bulletin 13, no. Books Measure Up After 40 years?: The Answer Is ‘It 2/3 (1982): 3–12. Depends,’” Reading Teacher 58, no. 6 (2005): 534–48. 25. Jonah Winter and Ana Juan, Frida (New York: Scholastic, 9. Nancy Larrick, “The All-White World of Children’s Books,” 2002). Saturday Review (Sept. 11, 1965): 63–85. 26. Costanza Eggers-Piérola, Connections & Commitments: 10. Ibid., 63. Reflecting Latino Values in Early Childhood Programs 11. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, “Center for Latin (Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann, 2005), 15. American and Caribbean Studies: Américas Book Award 27. Nilsson, “How Does Hispanic Portrayal in Children’s Books for Children’s and Young Adult Literature,” Apr. 2008, www Measure Up After 40 Years?” .uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/aa/index.html (accessed Apr. 12, 28. Amada Irma Pérez and Maya Christina Gonzalez, My 2008). Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aquí hasta allá (San 12. Ibid. Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2002); Campbell Geeslin 13. Julie Kline, “Weaving Stories: Celebrating the Tenth and Ana Juan, Elena’s Serenade (New York: Atheneum, Anniversary of the Américas Award for Children’s and 2004). Young Adult Literature,” Children and Libraries 1, no. 2 29. Francisco Jiménez and Simón Silva. La Mariposa (Boston: (Summer/Fall 2003): 48. Houghton Mifflin, 1998); Tony Johnston and Susan 14. Eliza T. Dresang, “Outstanding Literature: Pura Belpré and Guevara, Isabel’s House of Butterflies (San Francisco: Sierra Américas Selections with Special Appeal in the Digital Club, 2003); Virginia Kroll and Gerardo Suzan, Butterfly Boy Age,” in Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage, ed. (Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1997); Julia Alvarez, In the Barbara Immroth and Kathleen McCook (Jefferson, N.C.: Time of the Butterflies (Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin, 1994); McFarland, 2000), 69. Ana Baca and Anthony Accardo, Benito’s Bizcochitos: Los 15. Ibid., 72. Bizcochitos de Benito (Houston, Tex.: Arte Publico, 1999). 16. Patricia Bloem, “The Américas Award,” Bookbird 44, no. 1 30. George Ancona, Harvest (Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall (2006): 44. Cavendish, 2001).

34 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Opening Doors 31. Dana L. Fox and Kathy G. Short, Stories Matter: The 35. Kline, “Weaving Stories,” 45. Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children’s 36. U.S. Census Bureau, “Income Stable, Poverty Rate Literature (Urbana, Ill.: National Council of Teachers of Increases, Percentage of Americans without Health English, 2003); Cooperative Children’s Book Center, The Insurance Unchanged,” press release, Aug. 2005, www Multicolored Mirror: Cultural Substance in Literature for .census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/ Children and Young Adults (Fort Atkinson, Wis.: Highsmith, income_wealth/005647.html (accessed Mar. 6, 2006). 1991); Theresa Rogers and Anna O. Soter, Reading Across 37. Curt Dudley-Marling, “‘I’m Not from Pakistan’: Cultures: Teaching Literature in a Diverse Society (New Multicultural Literature and the Problem of York: Teachers College Pr., 1997); Darwin L. Henderson Representation,” in Stories Matter: The Complexity of and Jill P. May, Exploring Culturally Diverse Literature Cultural Authenticity in Children’s Literature, ed. D. L. Fox for Children and Adolescents: Learning to Listen in New and K. G. Short (Urbana, Ill.: National Council of Teachers Ways (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2005); Hazel Rochman, of English, 2003), 306. Against Borders: Promoting Books for a Multicultural World 38. Ibid., 314. Emphasis in the original. (Chicago: ALA, 1993). 39. Ibid., 315. 32. Bloem, “The Américas Award,” 42. 40. Rigoberto González and Cecilia C. Álvarez, Antonio’s Card/ 33. Rudolfo Anaya and Amy Córdova, The Santero’s Miracle: La tarjeta de Antonio (San Francisco: Children’s Book A Bilingual Story (Albuquerque, N.M.: University of New Pr., 2005); Ina Cumpiano and José Ramírez, Quinito’s Mexico, 2004). Neighborhood/El Vecindario de Quinito (San Francisco: 34. Nicolás Kanellos, Hispanic Literature of the United States: Children’s Book Pr., 2005). A Comprehensive Reference (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 41. Ezra Jack Keats, “The Person Takes Precedence,” Saturday 2003), 181. Review, (Oct. 2, 1965): 38.

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Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 35 One Book, Every Young Child Pennsylvania Literacy Initiative Enters Third Year Susan Pannebaker

magine more than half a million Pennsylvania children ages 3–6 being exposed to the fun of reading through the How It Began Isame picture book. That’s exactly what is happening with In September 2003, a group of librarians, museum educators, Pennsylvania’s One Book, Every Young Child program, now in and public television staff first met at the 21st Century Learner its third year. Symposium sponsored by ALSC, the Association of Children’s Museums, the Families and Work Institute, and the Civil Society The purpose of the initiative is to foster early childhood lit- Institute in Washington, D.C. That group understood the eracy in the state. More than 140,000 children are born in importance of the recommendations in “Preventing Reading Pennsylvania each year; this initiative targets approximately Difficulties in Young Children” and returned to Pennsylvania 560,000 children by communicating to adults with children in determined to seek ways to work together. The group estab- their lives how the development of early literacy skills, through quality interactive experiences with books and stories, is criti- cally important to a child’s success in learning to read.

The following recommendation put forth by the Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education’s report, “Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children,” was a guiding principle in starting the program.

Systematic and widespread public education and marketing efforts should be undertaken to increase public awareness of the importance of providing stimulating literacy experiences in the lives of all very young children. Parents and other caregivers, as well as the public, should be the targets of such efforts, which should address ways of using books and opportunities for building language and literacy growth through everyday activities both at home and in group care settings.1

Susan Pannebaker is Youth Services Advisor in the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg. Author Katherine Ayres signs a book during an author visit to a child care center.

36 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries One Book, Every Young Child lished the following goals.

Goal 1. To increase awareness among parents, other family members, and the early care and education community of the need for practices that promote early literacy development:

■■ reading often to children, and

■■ engaging children in the story as they read it.

The goal is based on studies showing that simply providing the book is not enough. Adults must find ways to engage children. Mason and Kerr found that storybook reading is a more effective influence on literacy development when children have oppor- tunities to engage in conversation about the story.2 Further, Pellegrini and Galda found that joint make-believe between parents and children seems to be an important precursor to the skills necessary for literacy.3

Goal 2. To reach children more at risk because of poverty and other risk factors. The partners want to provide rural and These girls are thrilled to meet Lindsay Barrett George, author of urban children with increased opportunities to participate Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse. in early learning activities. The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning existing strengths and builds a stronger program through col- 2007 report on “Program Reach and County Risk Assessment” laboration than any of the partners can achieve in isolation. finds that sixteen of Pennsylvania’s sixty-seven counties, most The result is a robust program that combines the creativity and in rural northern and western Pennsylvania, plus Philadelphia, unique professional knowledge base of each of the collaborat- are most likely to benefit from early childhood investments ing agencies. because of educational and family risk factors. Another thirty- one are at moderate–high risk, with only twenty at moderate– low risk or low risk. The Program’s Components

Goal 3. To increase the education community’s ability to Each year, the One Book committee selects a picture book respond to early literacy needs through collaboration. Through and obtains a commitment from the author, illustrator, and this collaboration, agencies and organizations can reach those publisher to support the statewide effort. Past books selected not typically served. include Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse by Lindsay Barrett George (2006), A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom (2007), and The group identified a statewide One Book program as the Up, Down, and Around by author Katherine Ayres and illustrator vehicle to reach their goals. The One Book partners knew that Nadine Bernard Westcott (2008). simply providing a book is not enough. Adults must engage children in activities, such as talking about the book’s cover and The publishers make the book available at deeply discounted illustrations, discussing the action in the book, pretend play prices to ensure an impact statewide. In 2007, more than ninety related to the book, and more. The combination of reading, thousand books were provided free or sold in several formats— interactivity, and adult involvement creates an ideal environ- English and Spanish hardbacks, English and Spanish paperbacks, ment for early learning development. Adults must have the and a big book. Braille copies were provided to Pennsylvania’s necessary resources to engage children and see appropriate two Regional Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped modeling activities. and to regionally based public libraries to enable adults with vision problems to participate with the children in their lives. The original group of partners has grown and now includes For 2008, the formats include an English hardback and paper- public libraries, children’s museums, several state agencies (the back and an English big book. A Spanish-language version is Departments of Education, Public Welfare, and Agriculture; not available, but the text the State Museum; the Department of Labor and Industry’s has been translated and PennServ volunteer program; and the Pennsylvania Public a one-page insert is avail- Television Network), and a variety of nonprofit organizations able for programs serving (the Pennsylvania Library Association, the Pennsylvania Head Spanish-speaking popula- Start Association, and the Pennsylvania Center for the Book). tions. A Braille version has again been prepared. They all have their own separate programs to promote early literacy, but One Book, Every Young Child takes advantage of Reaching the early care

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 37 One Book, Every Young Child and education community is a vital component of the One quotes from both secretaries. Secretary of Public Welfare Estelle Book, Every Young Child program. It ensures we reach outside Richman said, the walls of libraries and museums to serve adults with chil- dren most in need of literacy services. Verizon provides funding For a child, a book can spark a love of reading that will last a to mail a copy of the book and two copies of the poster to all lifetime. Through this initiative, we’re providing children and home- and center-based child care programs regulated by the their families with the opportunity to learn and grow together Department of Public Welfare, Head Start classrooms, registered as they develop the skills they need to succeed in school and private preschools, and families in family literacy programs. in life.4

After a One Book kickoff at the state capitol in late March or Public television has been a partner since the program’s incep- early April, the author and illustrator make visits across the state tion. Pennsylvania has eight PBS stations, and the Pennsylvania at public libraries and early care and education programs. Public Television Network (PPTN) is a state agency that ties the stations together loosely. Thanks to their work, the Scranton sta- The Office of Commonwealth Libraries and its public library tion produced a thirty-second spot that featured author Lindsay partners work with Pennsylvania’s 640 public library outlets Barrett George in her studio talking about why reading aloud is (libraries, branches, and bookmobiles) to make the selected book so important. That station and several others aired the spot in available in their communities and to offer programming that 2006; we were also able to put it on the One Book website. complements and extends the impact. Promotional materials such as posters and stickers enhance the effort. The back of the In 2007, the Penn State station taped Suzanne Bloom reading poster provides a selection of book-related activities that support A Splendid Friend, Indeed and interacting with children at the Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood. Schlow Library in State College. PPTN was also instrumental in connecting the One Book program to the Mid-Atlantic Gigapop The participating museum partners create a traveling trunk in Philadelphia (MAGPI). MAGPI supplies programming to its filled with fun book-related puppets, games, and manipulatives members via Internet2. Internet2 is only open to educational for young children, as well as a guide for librarians and educa- and research institutions. In October 2007, Bloom traveled to tors that encourages use of the trunk contents in activities that MAGPI’s studio on the University of Pennsylvania campus where are aligned with Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early she connected with nine pre-K–grade 2 classrooms across the Childhood. Sixty to seventy replicas of the trunk are placed in state via video conferencing on Internet2. After school, Bloom public libraries and museums for sharing by libraries and early presented a professional development program on reading care and education programs. The activity guide has proven so aloud that reached teachers in three elementary schools, a useful that it is printed and distributed to all public libraries. graduate class at a university in western Pennsylvania, and a live audience of students in a graduate class at the University of The One Book partners annually create new resources for their Pennsylvania. In one afternoon, she interacted with more than website (www.paonebook.org), which features resources for seven hundred children and thirty teachers. We hope to do a librarians, museum educators, early childhood professionals, similar program in fall 2008. and parents. Examples include read-aloud tips, booklists, web- sites of interest, fingerplays, songs, activities, crafts, healthy snacks, and lesson plans for kindergarten through grade 2. Local Activities and Anecdotes The materials for the previous year’s book are archived so they remain accessible to all. There is documented evidence that the One Book program reached all sixty-seven of Pennsylvania’s counties in 2007. A family fun guide, first created in 2007, is a component used Public libraries, nonprofit organizations, the early care and again this year to support efforts to model ways adults can education community, and school districts took the One Book engage children as they read. The guide is widely distributed resources and made an impact locally. Here are comments to parents. shared by some librarians involved in the program.

The secretaries of Education and Public Welfare annually sup- ■■ Last year, an enterprising middle school librarian showed port the initiative through a Commonwealth Readers program. the book to her reading teacher colleague, and they devel- In 2007, sixty-two staff of state agencies, including Secretary oped a plan to have their at-risk middle school students of Public Welfare Estelle Richman and Secretary of Education practice reading the book. Then the middle school students Gerald Zahorchak, and 226 additional volunteers visited child- visited an elementary school to share the book one-on-one care sites during the Week of the Young Child to read A Splendid with kindergarten and first grade students. The younger Friend, Indeed. They read to almost one thousand adults and students enjoyed the attention of older children and the at- more than 8,500 children at 520 early learning sites. risk middle school students had a chance to be successful readers and mentors. Plans are being made to replicate this Each reader received a hardback copy of A Splendid Friend, successful approach. Indeed, a sheet of tips for sharing the book with a group, stick- ers, and a mouse button. The 2007 press release, approved ■■ In Centre County in 2007, the county commissioners declared by the governor’s office for release to the media, included April “Splendid Friend Month.” The bus company displayed

38 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries One Book, Every Young Child received a paperback copy of Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse, a stuffed mouse, stickers, and other goodies.

■■ The Carnegie Library of McKeesport was pleased with Bloom’s visit. They said, “She was perfect, and the kids had a great time, and the agency people that brought the kids were very impressed. This was truly a once in a lifetime event for many of our little ones here, and we so appreciate being a part of this.”

We also had feedback from more than two thousand early care and education programs in 2007.

Results

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries and Pennsylvania’s public libraries are developing stronger relationships with early care and education programs. Public libraries are committed to serving the same children these programs serve and children’s Boyds Mills Press, publisher of A Splendid Friend, Indeed, had this van designed to transport author Suzanne Bloom to author visits librarians can provide leadership and collaborate within their throughout the state. own communities. Adults (early care and education providers, parents, and other caregivers) are seeing interactive reading posters on their fleet and arranged three family read-aloud modeled and have resources to help them provide engaging sessions on the buses. Doctors’ offices gave out copies of reading opportunities. A rural county childcare provider “got the book during office visits. A community engagement it.” She wrote, “From the website I learned to do more than team organized guest readers at more than thirty child care reading—engage children in activities, discuss the book from venues. The public television station interviewed author cover to cover, ask questions about the cover, pretend to play Suzanne Bloom, who read A Splendid Friend, Indeed. That eat, use library more.” reading continued to be available on the library’s website. A sustained multi-year effort is required for the One Book pro- ■■ Mike Packard, head of children’s services at the Pottstown gram to make a difference. This investment will provide early Public Library, presented Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse and care and education providers across the state with the immedi- many of the trunk activities to more than thirty families ate benefit of a high-quality children’s book and instructional in two one-hour family storytime workshops. Each family guidance in offering quality literacy activities. Long term, this received a copy of the book as well as stickers and compli- program will encourage the adults in children’s lives to engage mentary snacks. Packard modeled different ways to share in continued interactive use of books and stories to build lit- picture books with the children in their lives and empha- eracy skills. & sized the integration of supplemental activities relating to the themes of the book. References ■■ To focus public attention on the literacy needs of young children, directors from Lititz childcare centers and the 1. Catherine E. Snow, M. Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin, public library joined to form Community Partners for Early eds., Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, Childhood Literacy in 2006. To kick off the partnership, Commission of Behavioral and Social Sciences and members highlighted the importance of literacy develop- Education Report (Washington, D.C.: National Academies ment in preschool children by promoting One Book, Every Press, 1998), 318. Young Child. The library will host displays from caregivers 2. Jana Mason and Bonnie Kerr, “Literacy Transfer from showcasing photographs and art by children as they partici- Parents to Children in the Preschool Years,” in The pate in literacy activities. Future collaboration will include Intergenerational Transfer of Cognitive Skills, Vol. II: Theory Small Steps to Big Books, a book-of-the-month selection and Research in Cognitive Science, ed. T. G. Sticht, M. recommended for reading aloud with young children and Beeler, and B. A. McDonald (Norwood, N.J.: Ablex, 1992), on-site story telling programs at childcare centers. 49–61. 3. Anthony D. Pellegrini and Lee Galda, “Early Literacy from ■■ The Community Library of Allegheny County offered a a Developmental Perspective,” in Children’s Emergent Mouse Fest. According to staff, “The children and adults Literacy: From Research to Practice, ed. D. F. Lancy had a great time working together measuring mice tails, (Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1994). playing the lotto game, sorting mice by size and color, and 4. One Book, Every Young Child website, www.paonebook trying their skills at threading the cheese block.” Each child .org/onebook/2007 (accessed Apr. 15, 2008).

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 39 Brian Wildsmith’s Magical World of Color Judi Moreillon Photos courtesy of Star Bright Books

icture lions, tigers, and bears in vibrant and sometimes who assumed that children’s book illustration should simplify, unsettling colors, with lines that convey the texture of rather than complicate, the story elements of setting, character, Pfur and expressions that compel readers to want to know and plot. these characters. Open his books, and you too can step into the magical, colorful world of British artist and bookmaker Brian Wildsmith.

Today, children’s book illustration is considered a fine art form. Children’s book art graces the walls of galleries, and whole museums have been dedicated to it. In many books, innovative and stunning artwork dominates the print, and visually ori- ented children have come to expect books to be feasts for their eyes. But that hasn’t always been so. In fact, before Wildsmith came onto the children’s book scene, the children’s book illus- trator’s role was simply to support the author’s story.

In 1962, Wildsmith authored and illustrated his first children’s book, ABC, for which he was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal, Britain’s equivalent to the Caldecott Medal. This was an auspicious beginning for a young man at the start of his free- lance art career, and many consider Wildsmith’s entrance into children’s book illustration as the beginning of a golden age.

His artwork broke with tradition when he created images that could be described as “challenging” for children. His work was not realistic, and as such it may not have appealed to adults

Judi Moreillon, MLS, PhD, is a literacies and libraries consultant. She is the author of two children’s books and a professional book for school librarians, Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension: Maximizing Your Impact (ALA Editions, 2007). She lives in Tucson, Ariz., where she teaches courses in children’s and adolescent literature and school library administration at the University of Arizona. Brian Wildsmith, © Brian Wildsmith

40 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Brian Wildsmith’s Magical World of Color On Becoming an Artist

I was born in Yorkshire, England, and spent my childhood in a mining village. We had no books; children’s books and illustrated children’s books like I create today were nonexistent. All we had were comics, which I absolutely loved. Apart from that, I had no early introduction into children’s stories.

When I was eleven, I won a scholarship to the high school. The art classes there were ridiculous. All we did was draw cubes and circles and rectangles. We had no introduction whatsoever into all the glories that have been produced in the art world, no introduction to sculpture or architecture. My friends told me I was the best artist in the class because we used to draw―apart from the cubes― Opuestos/Opposites, Star Bright Books, 1996 airplanes dogfighting and ships shoving each other. Then World War II came, and Fortunately, Mabel George, his editor at Oxford University paper and paints were very difficult to get, so there was hardly Press, recognized Wildsmith’s brilliant designs and succeeded any painting. in finding a printer who could reproduce the dynamic colors of his artwork with integrity. Both artist and editor were commit- Even to this day, I can’t grasp why I became an artist. As a child, ted to creating children’s books with mature, grown-up artwork. I wanted to be a scientist. In the sixth [grade], I remember going Wildsmith has said “I believe that beautiful picture books are to a physics class and I stopped on the way and a voice said to vitally important in subconsciously forming a child’s visual me, “Is this really what you want to do with the rest of your life?” appreciation, which will bear fruit in later life.” And the answer was, “No. I want to be a creator.”

In 1994, the Brian Wildsmith Art Museum was established in I turned around and saw the headmaster and left the school. Izukogen, Japan. Eight hundred of his paintings are on loan to He was perplexed and bewildered. My parents were wonderful. the museum. Almost one and a half million people, children They said, “Look, Brian, what are you going to do?” I said, “I and adults, visited a traveling exhibition of his work in 2005. want to go to Barnsley School of Art.” Many have been touched by his talent and influenced by his exuberant vision. It was a very good art school, and from there I won a scholarship to the Slade School of Fine Arts, which is the art department Born and raised where everything was cold and gray in Yorkshire, of University College, London. For three years, I didn’t do any England, Wildsmith became devoted to the sun early on in life. illustration. All we did was draw the nude model, and I hardly Today, he paints in a lovely sun-drenched studio in southern ever painted them because I was so poor I couldn’t afford paints France, where the light is warm and clear. From his window, and brushes. he sees luscious green countryside, and in the distance he glimpses the Mediterranean Sea. I left Slade to do my national service and was sent to the Royal Military School of Music to teach mathematics. When I finished Wildsmith remains an artist who applies his expansive talent to my service, I became an art teacher at what we call a grammar illustration. Through his books for children, he has dedicated school; you would call it a high school. nearly fifty years to developing children’s appreciation for art. During that time, I read an article that said that there were Now in his seventies, he continues to create striking books for twenty-eight thousand book titles published every year. I children with pieces of art that serve as illustrations and can thought to myself, “Oh my goodness, they would all need a stand on their own as well. This is his homage to his love for the book cover.” So I taught myself how to do lettering and designed light, his expression of the magical world of his imagination, book covers. In those days, there was no full-color book cover and his gift to generations of children. production. It was all two-, three-, or four-color printing. You had to draw for every color on a separate piece of paper and This interview with Brian Wildsmith, in his own words, took then they all had to be combined. But it was a marvelous intro- place in fall of 2007. duction into techniques and into producing works for books.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 41 Brian Wildsmith’s Magical World of Color Then I got married. I used to drive into London on my little One day, Mabel asked me if I would produce twelve color illustra- scooter after the high school art classes had finished and made tions for the Arabian Nights. Of course, I was delighted. The book appointments to see publishers. Eventually, I got book covers was published, and in the Times Literary Supplement, the review to do, and then I got more and more. After three years, my wife said, “We now descend to the lowest depths, to Brian Wildsmith’s said, “Why don’t you give up teaching, Brian, and do what it vicious attack on the Arabian Nights. These aimless scribbles is you want to do?” And then when I came home and said, “I which do for drawings wander aimlessly and pointlessly about resigned.” She said, “I’m pregnant!” She was marvelous about the page. It may be art, but it certainly isn’t illustration.” that. She knew that had I realized she was going to have a baby, I would have been too scared to go into books because you never I went in to see Mabel, and thinking this would be the end, she quite know if you are going to earn any money or not. said “Brian, we’re the Oxford University Press. We make up our own minds, and that review has convinced us we have some- thing new.” On Becoming a Children’s Book Author and Illustrator By giving me an allocated space, in which I had to draw, say, three After I had done book covers for a while, I went to see Oxford inches by four and a half, I had to learn to do a drawing that size. University Press. I saw there a wonderful lady, Mabel George, She said, “Now, you are ready. Have you thought about an A-B-C who was very shy. I took some semi-abstract paintings I had book?” To be quite honest, I hadn’t. But immediately it flashed done in color, and she looked at them and she said, “Right, Mr. in my mind what it was I would like to do, and I explained it to Wildsmith. We’ll be in touch.” her. She said, “Right, go and do it.” The book was published to great acclaim. In fact, from all the articles I read after, it changed So I thought that means, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.” Two the course of English picture books in England. weeks later, she called me and said, “I have a book cover for you to do.” So I did that and then more and more and more. After Then after the ABC, I saw Mabel and she said, “Brian, what a couple of years, she said, “Right, Brian. It’s time for you to do about doing your own stories?” So I said, “Mabel, my spelling is a book in color. The reason I gave you the books in black and terrible. My punctuation is terrible, and my grammar is not all white to do is that you knew nothing about books.” that wonderful.”

123, © Brian Wildsmith

42 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Brian Wildsmith’s Magical World of Color

Iguana picture from Brian Wildsmith’s ABC, Star Bright Books, 1996

She replied, “Brian, we have editors here with ink pots full of or if blue or yellow is prominent, and so on. It’s something you full stops, commas, exclamation marks, and etc. The core of can’t describe. There’s a certain intuitive way of doing it. the book, the main thing, the chief thing is the idea. The idea. Original ideas in the way the pictures are produced are very, Every subject needs its own special interpretation to my point of very rare.” view. Like a composer, although you always know it’s his work, he doesn’t produce music for a ballet or a sonata or prelude or symphony the same way. Each one has a different interpreta- On Interpreting with Colors and Shapes tion. And that’s what I have felt I must do with my work. Many illustrators’ work is the same for everything that they do. It’s just Before I start a painting, I must have a complete picture of what different shapes and so on. I’m going to do in my mind. I call it the “Mozartian Method.” Mozart had the complete sounds in his head before he wrote I want to have a different interpretation for everything. One of them down. His process was like copying what was in his mind. the best examples of that is my 123, which is a counting book It’s like that for me. The subject and the intensity of what has to that has a section without numerals. Numbers are abstract until be expressed determine if I use a combination of reds and blues, applied to something specific. So what I did was to take the three basic shapes—triangle, circle, and square—and I used these in a combination of forms, colors, and shapes within these shapes to produce my counting book.

I was very happy with it. As a point of fact, I remember Mabel George saying, “Brian, some of our mathematicians at the uni- versity, they don’t understand your book. They were totally visually ignorant, but the children saw it straight-away.”

On the Value to Children of Learning Life Lessons from Animals

Normally we say wisdom comes with age, but not always so; hence a child with an uncontaminated mind often sees a reality that the adult does not. Children respond to and love animals. They are intrigued and fascinated by them. I believe children need to know fables [with animal characters] because they are treasures of wisdom. I want to make a picture book that children Lion picture from Brian Wildsmith’s ABC, Star Bright Books, 1996 take delight in, not a kind that merely

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 43 Brian Wildsmith’s Magical World of Color serves for education. I depict simple and realistic scenes powerfully, and by read- ing the stories and by looking at these pictures, children rediscover the world of wisdom.

For me, animals are wonderful to paint because the essence of painting them, as in all painting, is to get to the heart of what you are representing. Whether it’s a kettle or a tree, there is an inner life to everything. All great painting has this. If it doesn’t have it, it’s not memorable art. And all the paintings I have ever seen that I have loved and enjoyed, they are all about inner meaning.

Once I was in Japan and a curator of a large museum and his friends took me to lunch. He said, “When I was an art stu- dent, the teacher said to draw an object and paint it.” This he did. The teacher Wildsmith in his studio, © Brian Wildsmith came back and said, “No, you haven’t painted it.” And then he tried again. And again the teacher said, with illustrations from various titles that I have created over “No, you haven’t painted it.” Then the teacher came back and the years. The books are very well printed and well thought put my ABC in front of him. “This is what painting is about―the out. I’m especially pleased that she is printing them in so many inner life that which makes a thing what it is.” languages; they get to such a wide variety of children from dif- ferent backgrounds. Star Bright Books has the best interest of children at heart. On Creating Books with Religious Themes I decided I would like to do something about the fact that most On Art, Faith, and Passion children’s books I’ve seen that are supposedly on religious themes give no real indication of what religion is about. When I There are schools of art, but you cannot teach art. A good decided to do a book on the passion of Christ, my wife said, “If teacher advises and will recognize the individual qualities of you’re going to do that, a book set in Israel, you have to go and that particular student and help him develop. Art is an intensely case out the joint.” personal thing. The first thing for new artists, I think, is that drawing is crucial. Good drawing is an absolute necessity. So So we decided to visit Israel. Through a friend, the Israeli direc- draw, draw, draw, draw. tor of tourism got to know that we were coming to Jerusalem, and he decided to help us. He was absolutely wonderful. We Then, you have to look within your own soul as to what you were met at the airport by a chauffeur-driven Mercedes. He got want to do and how you want to do it. If you want to paint an us a double suite of rooms for the price of one at the King David elephant red, white, and blue, paint it red, white, and blue. If Hotel. He engaged a brilliant scholar on the history of Israel, you want to paint a dinosaur not just gray but in colored spots and she took us around to places we would not have otherwise and so on, then so be it. seen or known about. You have to believe in yourself. It’s not an easy job. But you have It was amazing how wonderful they were to us. I asked, “Why to have faith in yourself. You have to have the will and the cour- are you doing this?” The Israeli tourism director replied, “Jesus age to carry on, carry on, carry on. Without the faith in yourself, was a Jew, you know. And we’re proud of him.” forget it, forget it!

The eight religious books I have created were simply wonderful Art is the expression of all that is wonderful, beautiful, and to do. mysterious in our world and the essential nourishment for the soul, that which make us what we are. As I approach fifty years of producing books for children, my passion for children and On Board Books for the Very Young their books has remained constant. &

I am absolutely delighted with the board books offered by Star To learn more about Brian Wildsmith, visit www.brianwild Bright Books. Publisher Deborah Shine assembles the books smith.com.

44 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Ready to Read Grant How Columbus Metropolitan Library Got It and What They Learned Kim Snell

e just couldn’t do it alone. We didn’t have the time. We didn’t have the W resources. We didn’t have the bud- get, and we didn’t have all the connections to reach all the parents and children we wanted to benefit from our Ready to Read program.

These are all common problems in public libraries, and they were true for Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library (CML) as well. But CML has learned that librarians need to find ways around these problems to get the job done. This is why CML was thrilled this Baby Brooklyn enjoys looking at books. year to receive a grant from the United Way, in partnership with Action for Children, for $62,500 to expand its Ready to Read program. for Reading Instruction,” and PLA distributed this information to libraries beginning with the 2001 PLA Spring Symposium. Most children’s librarians are well aware of the history of the That is also when PLA announced plans to build model library Every Child Ready to Read initiative and the Public Library programs incorporating the research found in the report. Association’s (PLA) role, but let us refresh our memories a little bit just to revisit the historical significance of partnerships and In 2001, PLA partnered with ALSC to test an early education challenges with Every Child Ready to Read. model program at twenty demonstration site libraries of vary- ing size and demographics. In 2002, another fourteen sites PLA began its Early Literacy Project in 2000 with a partner- were tested. Over the next few years, these models became ship with the National Institute of Child Health and Human instrumental in the growth and success of Every Child Ready Development (NICHD), a division of the National Institutes of to Read. Health. PLA and ALSC’s hard work and research has yielded phenom- In 2000, NICHD released a helpful report called “Teaching enal results since then. The initiative’s website offers all mem- Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the bers of the library community the ability to download training Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications materials, grant application information, pamphlets, contacts, and even an online screening tool for parents to test their chil- dren. It contains almost everything a youth services librarian Kim Snell works in Media Relations and Communications for could need to create a successful Every Child Ready to Read the Columbus [Ohio] Metropolitan Library. program.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 45 Ready to Read Grant Money CML’s Journey

Ever since the Every Child Ready to Read initiative was intro- duced to libraries, it was a priority for CML, especially for the youth services staff. In September 2004, CML conducted a day-long training session with its youth services staff on Every Child Ready to Read, and CML librarians incorporated their training into their storytime sessions.

Slowly but surely, the staff began to offer our Ready to Read programs in the community. But because of lack of resources, the workshops could only be held sporadically. And though CML offered participants take-home items such as books and crayons, neither the quantity nor the quality were as high as would have been preferred. However, an opportunity to rise to that challenge would present itself in 2007.

While CML youth services staff were being trained in the initia- tive in 2004, Kathy Shahbodaghi, public services administrator for youth services at CML, began volunteering with United Way. As one of the many employees who genuinely cares about the education and well-being of the children in the Columbus com- munity, she began serving on the Education Vision Council, Kindergarten Readiness Committee. This involvement even- Puppets, clay, and more are part of CML’s Ready to Read take- tually led to the partnership with Action for Children and the home kits. United Way grant. through Action for Children. What needed to be ironed out Another individual serving on that committee was Diane were the many little details that require meticulous planning to Bennett, director of Action for Children. Action for Children is ensure smooth execution of the workshops. a private, not-for-profit organization in Columbus that works with agencies on programs such as childcare, early education, Shahbodaghi enlisted the help of many other CML youth ser- employment opportunities, professional development work- vices staff to begin planning this initiative, especially Claeys and shops, and other valuable resources for parents. Cathy Williams, manager of CML’s Linden Branch. Both Claeys and Williams were already heavily involved with the Ready to Shahbodaghi and Bennett worked together on the Kindergarten Read program and, like Shahbodaghi, were anxious to bring the Readiness Committee and saw many similarities in their pro- program to the forefront of the community. They spent many fessional goals and personal values, but this was not the only long hours working with Action for Children to coordinate connection the organizations had with one another. In 2005, Pat training session locations, details of take-home kits and cater- Claeys, an early childhood specialist at CML, worked with Action ing, and the presentation of the programs themselves. for Children as one of the trainers in their Adventures in Literacy program. And in 2006, CML conducted ten Ready to Read work- In the end, the program was presented as a ninety-minute shops with Action for Children at Early Learning Consortium workshop by members of the CML youth services staff. All par- sites, training more than three hundred participants that year. ticipants were given an Adventures in Literacy plastic container filled with books, puppets, writing pads, markers, alphabet mag- All these little projects finally came together in January 2007, nets, and other resources for parents to use at home with their when representatives from the United Way suggested that CML children. They also received Action for Children’s Adventures apply for a grant. They also suggested that Action for Children in Literacy Guidebook, which provides information, tips, and apply for a grant. Shahbodaghi and Bennett decided that by activities aligned with the Ohio Department of Education’s working together, they could pull together resources, contacts, Early Learning Content Standards for English Language Arts. and strong reputations to create a program that would make the biggest impact on the community. So they applied for an Locations for the workshops were chosen from Action for $80,000 grant together, and they got it. Children’s database of publicly funded childcare centers, includ- ing Head Starts and ELI programs. This is one of the key reasons partnerships are so critical to the success of this program. CML About the Partnership may not have had ready access to this valuable list without the partnership with Action for Children. The list included Franklin Action for Children was already aware of the tremendous County Early Learning Consortium, YMCA of Central Ohio, and potential of CML’s Ready to Read program, and CML was thirty-five daycare centers engaged in ELI (for three-to-five- very enthusiastic about the professional connections available year-olds whose families were at or below the poverty level).

46 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Ready to Read Grant Money Each parent and caregiver who attended the workshop received a nutritious box meal; children in the childcare facility also received a healthy meal. Centers who opted to provide child- care during the workshop also received a $50 stipend.

Why did CML decide that feeding the participants was necessary for the success of the project? In the world of at-risk parenting, preparing children for kindergarten and to be successful learners is not seen as a critical need like food and shelter. By offering free, nutritious meals to them and their children, CML gave parents a significant incentive to attend and participate in the program.

This realization affected the marketing strategy for the program, and that increased attendance. Initially, marketing materials Children, Columbus Public Schools and the Homeless Families were very focused on parents preparing children for kindergar- Foundation, just to name a few. This presents CML with many ten, and the attendance for these training sessions was very low. more opportunities to collaborate with other organizations in CML did not take into account that these parents were so con- the future for this and other programs. sumed by the intricacies of their daily lives that they just did not have the ability or time to focus on years down the road. When staff put their heads together with the marketing staff at CML, A Learning Experience they decided to target those immediate needs of free meals for them and their children. This partnership was not without its challenges. CML’s biggest struggle was meeting the demands of community organizations The updated flyers advertising the Ready to Read workshops throughout Columbus. Once word circulated that the Ready were changed to read, “Make your child a winner, and get a to Read program was available, it was sought out by many FREE DINNER.” When parents of at-risk children saw that CML organizations, particularly for repeat programs. This will be an was providing the means to satisfy this immediate need, atten- ongoing struggle, but too many parents and caregivers wanting dance improved dramatically. to improve the school success of their children is the best kind of problem to have. CML could not be happier to have to face this problem. The Results? There were also challenges with vendors. CML could not meet At the beginning of this project, CML hired an outside profes- the demand for workshops as quickly as they had hoped because sional research firm to evaluate the program. About $6,500 of the Adventures in Literacy plastic boxes could not be ordered the grant money went into this research to validate the suc- and delivered conveniently. The boxes had to be delivered all at cess of the program and to identify ways the program could be once, and they had to be filled with all of the take-home mate- improved in the future. rials. There was not enough space to store hundreds of plastic boxes, so CML and Action for Children had to use grant funds to At the end of the program, 1,320 kits had been distributed and rent storage space for more than one thousand boxes. 1,067 of the research firm’s surveys had been completed by parents and caregivers. This alone was a fantastic achievement There was also difficulty in the scheduling of the workshops. considering the original goal was to train 1,200 low-income Because Action for Children had the contacts and relationships parents or caregivers and 120 teachers. with the locations chosen to hold programs, they originally took charge of scheduling. There were some communication The survey responses CML received about how the participants mishaps about the librarians’ schedules. Sometimes a work- planned to utilize the information from the training were very shop would be scheduled when no trainer was available. CML promising. Overall, most participants said they would read eventually rectified that problem by having trainers contact more often, read more interactively with their child, use reading locations directly so they could coordinate days and times that as a time to build literacy skills, and visit the library more often. worked for everyone. They also planned to use the take-home kits (on average) four times per week. As CML and Action for Children began 2008 intending to reapply for the same grant money from the United Way, they CML wholeheartedly believes that the results of the research were presented with yet another challenge. In 2007, there was study were instrumental to the library receiving another United $80,000 in grant money available for this project, but in 2008, Way grant to continue the project this year. there was only $62,500 available. The intention had been to not only continue the project, but also expand it. They had to find Another positive result of this partnership was the develop- ways to cut $17,500 from the project. ment of new contacts and potential partners in the com- munity. CML has strengthened relationships with Action for

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 47 Ready to Read Grant Money Cuts in Cost, Not Quality Here is a list of places to begin:

Without sacrificing the quality of Ready to Read workshops ■■ The local United Way themselves, the team decided to make the following creative changes to the program in order to save money: ■■ School districts

■■ Use high-quality tote bags instead of heavy-duty boxes for ■■ The Department of Jobs and Family Services take-home kits (saving $8,400) ■■ Welfare programs ■■ Examine the philanthropic nature of our workshops and cut food costs (saving $5,000) ■■ The YMCA/YWCA

■■ Renegotiate the contract with research firm (saving $1,500) ■■ Local health centers and clinics

■■ Make changes to vendors, prices, and quantity of take-home ■■ Local foundations kit items ■■ Head Start centers In this process and through new partners in the community, CML has entered into a contract with the Department of Job and ■■ Local philanthropic organizations Family Services to provide Ready to Read workshops to profes- sional family and childcare providers. This gave CML another It is unfair to say you have to be at the right place at the right $24,860 dollars to train 150 caregivers in the community. time to reap the rewards of fortunate opportunities and part- nerships like this one. Seek out grant opportunities. The key CML also plans to explore working with school districts and is to get to know the movers and shakers in your community teacher associations to offer the workshop for continuing edu- and to make sure they know you. When decision-makers and cation credits. This helps position the program as beneficial for philanthropic organizations think about valuable partners and both the working members of our community as well as the programs in the community, make certain they are thinking children they serve. about you, your library, and Every Child Ready to Read. &

How Other Libraries Can Do This Bibliography

All the training tools are available to librarians at ALSC and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. PLA’s Every Child Ready to Read website (www.ala.org/every- “Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based child). But the work does not end with that information. You Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on have to get involved in the community outside of your library Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction.” doors. Report of the National Reading Panel, Apr. 2000. www .nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/smallbook.cfm (accessed Apr. 10, 2008).

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48 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries REsearch And Development

Dewey—or Don’t We—Classify?

Suzanne M. Stauffer, ALSC Research and Development Committee

he issue of classification of school and public library suggest further items for purchase and so fulfill the mission of materials has been in the news ever since the Maricopa the bookstore, which is to make a profit.5 Ironically, many pro- T County Library District in Arizona decided to orga- mote the “bookstore arrangement” for libraries to encourage nize their nonfiction at the Perry branch utilizing the subject patron independence and reduce the need to ask librarians for headings used by the Book Industry Study group rather than assistance. according to Melvil Dewey’s classifications system, which has been updated twenty-two times since its creation in 1876.1 Perhaps more important for the librarian faced with this deci- Comments, such as “Dewey doesn’t facilitate browsing,”2 books sion and the need to justify it to the library’s directors is the in bookstores are “grouped by subject . . . instead of according to lack of information about children’s understanding of the DDC, the Dewey Decimal System,”3 and the call number is only used their use of it, and their ability to locate desired materials on the to “find the right book at the right address on the shelf,”4 reveal shelves using it or any other systematic method. Research into a fundamental misunderstanding of the structure, function, children’s information-seeking behavior has focused primarily and purpose of the Dewey Decimal System (DDC). The primary on the reference encounter, online catalogs, the Internet, and purpose of DDC is to organize materials according to precise digital libraries.6 Recently, however, several researchers have subject in a systematic arrangement from the general to the investigated children’s ability to find the books that they have specific. Besides making it possible to easily locate a given item, located in the library catalog as well as their ability to access such an arrangement supports browsing more effectively than information electronically.7 arranging materials by the author’s last name within a broad general category because each book is related to those on either These researchers found DDC does require certain skills and side by specific subject, not alphabetical accident. The user can cognitive abilities that develop with age, but that most children easily find additional materials on a topic in a single stop, and if are able to use DDC independently by the fourth grade. These the desired work is not on the shelf, similar works will be in the skills and abilities include counting to 999 and working with same location. By arranging materials by the author’s last name decimal numbers, which are learned in school, thinking of within a broad general category, the bookstore doesn’t facilitate information in terms of related categories with divisions and browsing so much as demand it because there is no other way subdivisions, and locating items in real space (spatial ability).8 to find a specific title. In addition, the DDC arrangement is the Children are inherently capable of categorizing objects and same in every library, while the arrangement in bookstores var- information. They progress from dividing information into two ies with each store.

Furthermore, bookstores also shelve books according to current Suzanne M. Stauffer is Assistant Professor in the School of commercial status rather than subject, in areas such as “New Library and Information Science at Louisiana State University, Books,” “Sale Books,” “Remainders,” etc. As Shonda Brisco Baton Rouge, and a member of ALSC’s Research and discovered, this method “obliges the customer to engage the Development Committee. store clerk,” which provides the clerk with the opportunity to

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 49 REsearch And Development categories (e.g., people and animals) in Books can be classified using the Information Services to Children,” kindergarten to a large number of more Abridged DDC into broader categories Journal of Youth Services in Libraries sophisticated and abstract categories by with shorter numbers that require less 13, no. 2 (Winter 2000): 10–17. fourth grade.9 Their spatial ability devel- mathematical ability to follow. They can For information about children ops along with other cognitive abilities be reclassified where necessary and can and online catalogs, see Christine as they mature. be located with other materials that are Borgman, Sandra G. Hirsh, Virginia used in the same way or for the same Walter, and Andrea L. Gallagher, These studies also found that children purpose. “Children’s Searching Behavior did not understand the sequencing of on Browsing and Keyword Online books on shelves, expecting the books to The librarian will maintain skills, knowl- Catalogs: The Science Library be arranged from one end of the range edge, and abilities by reading profes- Project,” Journal of the American to the other by shelf rather than section sional literature, attending workshops Society for Information Science 46, by section. These findings suggest that and conferences, and taking advantage no. 9 (1995): 663–84; Paul Solomon, young children will have trouble with of other opportunities for continuing “Children’s Information Retrieval any system (numerical or otherwise) professional education. Most impor- Behavior: A Case Analysis of an that organizes information into more tantly, the librarian will get to know the OPAC,” Journal of the American than two or three categories and that all children who use the library, their needs, Society for Information Science 44, children will continue to need instruc- interests, and abilities, and respond to no. 5 (1993): 245–64. tion in the physical arrangement of the them. No system of organization can For information about books on the shelves, regardless of the substitute for that. & children using the Internet to find system used. library materials, see Dania Bilal, “Children’s Use of the Yahooligans! In addition to the benefits of frequent Web Search Engine: I. Cognitive, updates, systematic subject arrange- References and Notes Physical, and Affective Behaviors ment, and uniformity across libraries 1. “Dropping Dewey in Maricopa,” on Fact-Based Search Tasks,” mentioned above, DDC organizes infor- Library Journal 132, no. 12 (July Journal of the American Society for mation according to traditional Western 2007): 14; Debra Lau Whelan, Information Science 51, no. 7 (2000): academic disciplines, so that most of the “Arizona Library Ditches Dewey,” 646–65; Dania Bilal, “Children’s nonfiction in public and school libraries School Library Journal 53, no. 7 Use of the Yahooligans! Web Search is organized according to how it is used (July 2007): 14; Sarah N. Lynch Engine: II. Cognitive and Physical in the curriculum. Children who learn to and Eugene Mulero, “Dewey? At Behaviors on Research Tasks,” use DDC will also be learning to organize This Library with a Very Different Journal of the American Society for information according to the structure Outlook, They Don’t,” New York Information Science 52, no. 2 (2000): that they will encounter throughout their Times (July 14, 2007). 118–36. academic and professional careers. 2. Norman Oder, “Behind the For information about children Maricopa County Library District’s using digital libraries, see Allison This research suggests that librarians Dewey-less Plan,” Library Journal Druin, “What Children Can Teach can take some simple steps to make online (May 31, 2007), www Us: Developing Digital Libraries for the collection more accessible to the .libraryjournal.com/article/ Children with Children,” Library children who use it while retaining the CA6448055.html (accessed Apr. 18, Quarterly 75, no. 1 (2005): 20–41; benefits of using DDC. First, take a page 2008). Hilary Browne Hutchinson, Anne from the bookstore model and make use 3. Fran Silverman, “Much Loved, Now Rose, Benjamin B. Bederson, Ann of generous signage. In the tradition of Much Used,” New York Times, Nov. Carlson Weeks, and Allison Druin, Charles Ammi Cutter, whose Rules for 11, 2007. “The International Children’s a Dictionary Catalog (U.S. Government 4. Whelan, “Arizona Library Ditches Digital Library: A Case Study in Printing Office, 1904) included the Dewey,” 14. Designing for a Multilingual, instruction to use language familiar 5. Shonda Brisco, “Dewey or Dalton? Multicultural, Multigenerational to the library’s community, signs can An Investigation of the Lure of Audience,” Information Technology employ familiar terms from children’s the Bookstore,” Library Media and Libraries 24, no. 1 (Mar. 2005): vocabulary and from the curriculum Connection 22, no. 4 (Jan. 2004): 4–12; Sheri Massey, Ann Carlson rather than the formal language used 36–37. Weeks, and Allison Druin, “Initial in DDC. Signs and book labels can use 6. For information about children’s Findings from a Three-Year pictures as well as words to indicate sub- use of the reference desk, see Kay International Case Study Exploring jects. Directional signs can literally point Bishop and Anthony Salveggi, Children’s Responses to Literature children in the right direction. Library- “Responding to Developmental in a Digital Library,” Library use instruction can include an explana- Stages in Reference Service to Trends 54, no. 2(Fall 2005): 245–65; tory tour of the collection, and will take Children,” Public Libraries 40, no. Andrew K. Shenton and Pat Dixon, into account the age and cognitive abili- 6 (Nov./Dec. 2001): 354–58; Melissa “Issues Arising from Youngsters’ ties of the children. Gross, “The Imposed Query and Information-Seeking Behavior,”

50 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries REsearch And Development Library & Information Science Libraries,” Canadian Journal of Quarterly 23 no. 3/4 (2004): 77–98. Research 26 (2004): 177–200. Information and Library Science 28, 8. Gale Eaton, “Lost in the Library: 7. Judith I. Boyce and Bert R. no. 4 (2004): 3–24; Corinne Laverty, Are Spatial Skills Important in Shelf Boyce, “A Reexamination of Shelf “The Challenge of Information Searches?” Journal of Youth Services Organization for Children’s Books,” Seeking: How Children Engage in in Libraries 5 (Fall 1991): 77–86. Public Libraries 41, no. 5 (Sept./ Library Work,” Feliciter no. 5 (2002): 9. Linda Z. Cooper, “The Socialization Oct. 2002): 280–83; Pam Harris 226–28; Andrew K. Shenton and Pat of Information Behavior: A Case and Pamela J. McKenzie, “What It Dixon, “How Do Youngsters Use Study of Cognitive Categories Means to Be ‘In-Between’: A Focus Public Libraries to Find Non-Fiction for Library Information,” Library Group Analysis of Barriers Faced by Books? The Results of a Recent Quarterly 74, no. 3 (2004): 299–336. Children Aged 7 to 11 Using Public Research Project,” Public Library

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Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 51 Elevator Speeches What’s So Important about Them? ALSC Managing Children’s Services Committee

hat do you do when you find yourself walking next to ■■ when you began or completed doing it. Bill Gates at the airport? Introduce yourself with an W elevator speech! An elevator speech is an overview of Short answers are more effective—and memorable. an idea for a product, service, or project. Its name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of 2. Use your own words. Your explanation should resonate an elevator ride (about thirty seconds or one hundred words). with your essence. Your personality or your being should not conflict with what you are saying, otherwise the inter- First impressions are crucial, so you need a clear, consistent nal tug of war will prevent you from believing what you are message when introducing yourself in face-to-face conversa- saying and hinder the flow of information. The more you tions and for introductions to groups. Here are some tips to believe what you are saying, the more confident you will be help you develop exceptional elevator speeches. in explaining your idea or goal.

1. Keep it simple. As Denzel Washington said in the movie 3. Sound natural and inspiring. Let your explanation be natu- Philadelphia, “All right, look, I want you to explain this to ral, in your own words, and in your own style. Avoid copying me like I’m a 6-year-old, OK?”1 Your idea or goal does not other people’s styles and imagining that their language and have to be complicated to be valid. Break it down, break it expressions are better than yours. What was it that made down, break it down. Avoid the use of technical jargon as you interested, dare I say excited, about the job, project, or much as possible. Answer questions that explain program? If someone presented the idea to you, what would you need to hear to get involved? This is what you want to ■■ what you are doing; convey in your speech.

■■ where you are doing it; Your speech should always include

■■ for whom you are doing it; ■■ who you are;

■■ how you are doing it; and ■■ what you do;

■■ Members of the 2007–08 Managing Children’s Services why the listener should care; Committee included Chair Leslie M. Molnar, Kristine Casper, ■■ Sarah English, Ginny Gustin, Cheryl Kallberg, Ja-Lih Lee, a specific example, story, or problem that you solved; Melanie Lightbody, Susan Pannebaker, Bianca Roberts, Meg Smith, and Anitra Steele. continued on page 54

52 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries Not to Be Missed ALSC Committee Visits Free Library’s Collection ALSC National Planning of Special Collections in Children’s Literature Committee

he Free Library of Philadelphia offers a compelling and The collection includes many Potter first editions, adaptations, fascinating sample of the history of children’s books. watercolors, drawings, and autographed letters, and features T Together, the rare book department and the children’s two prized gifts—the autographed manuscript and original literature research collection house an extensive research col- watercolors of The Tailor of Gloucester and the autographed lection of children’s literature from the seventeenth century to manuscript and drawings for The Tale of Little Pig Robinson. the present. The collection of American authors and illustrators is equally It’s a collection you must see to believe. If you have already seen impressive, with a prominent place reserved for Pennsylvanians it, you must see it again. Jerry Pinkney, Aliki, E. B. Lewis, Jan and Stan Berenstain, David Wiesner, Marguerite de Angeli, and many others. A short list The ALSC National Planning of Special Collections in Children’s of other Americans includes Robert Lawson, Munro Leaf, A. Literature Committee toured these collections during ALA B. Frost, Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Washington Irving, and Midwinter Meeting in January 2008. The group experienced Horatio Alger Jr. a sense of awe and wonder as they learned about and viewed first editions, autographed manuscripts, original artwork, and The collection’s diversity (illustrated children’s books; his- other fine examples of children’s literature and illustration. torical, folklore, and series collections; historical bibliography; The collection has benefited from Philadelphia’s long history children’s periodicals; fine art; and archives) and size (more as a publishing center. than seventy-five thousand items) are astonishing. The illus- trated children’s books collection contains a nice selection Although the primary focus of the collection is on American of works by those listed in Bertha E. Mahony’s Illustrators of children’s books, many English children’s illustrators and Children’s Books. authors are featured, including the legendary Kate Greenaway, Arthur Rackham, and Beatrix Potter. In addition to Greenaway’s Examples of the fine art are the N. C. Wyeth paintings on autographed letters, watercolors, drawings, first editions, and a display in the Central Library children’s department. The his- complete set of the Almanacks, the collection includes a copy torical collection is composed of books published since 1837. of The Pied Piper of Hamelin inscribed by Greenaway to Robert This collection, along with the series and folklore collections, Browning.

Examples of Rackham’s works throughout his career are in the The ALSC National Planning of Special Collections in Children’s collection, including the pen, ink, and watercolor drawing of Literature Committee includes chair Melissa Schutt, Mary “The Witches Meeting” and original illustrations from Kenneth Beth Dunhouse, Mary Lois Nicholls, Elizabeth Pankl, Marjorie Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. Rosenthal, Ellen Ruffin, and Dorothy Stoltz.

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 53 Not to Be Missed contains many Free Library patrons’ 1956) by Alice Dalgliesh, which is ■■ An extension set of Book Week post- “favorite childhood books.” The histori- a children’s version of Charles A. ers, including the first poster from cal bibliography, children’s periodicals, Lindbergh’s memoir The Spirit of 1919, displayed in the hallway outside and the archives (which include a selec- St. Louis, with pictures by Georges the central children’s department. & tion of manuscripts) are used primarily Schreiber, signed by the author, the by researchers. illustrator, and Lindbergh himself. The committee thanks the Free Library’s Gabrielle Fulton, assistant head of the Our tour revealed many delightful sur- ■■ A Robin Hood doll based on illustra- children’s book department, and James prises. tions by Donald E. Cooke in his book DeWalt, head of the rare book depart- The Silver Horn of Robin Hood (John ment. ■■ A copy of Ride on the Wind (Scribner, C. Winston, 1956).

Elevator Speeches, continued from page 52

■■ no more than three main points; and to read. We model techniques Now you are ready for anyone else you that have been shown to improve may meet on the concourse—or in the ■■ an invitation for interaction by asking school success in all children when elevator. & or answering a question. practiced by parents on a regular basis. I work at the Anywhere Public Creating an elevator speech provides Library. References you with an opportunity to reflect. What do you enjoy most about your job? How Have you heard of POWER Library? 1. Philadelphia, DVD, dir. Jonathan does your work affect others? How does It is a collection of electronic Demme (1993; Sony Pictures, 1997). your library affect the community? resources that are available 24/7. All How has the job affected you person- you need to access it is an Internet- ally? Remember all the stories you have connected computer and a public heard from your patrons—the mother library card. You can use it to read who learned to read in storytime or the an article in last week’s Newsweek Read More About It elderly man who filed his own taxes magazine someone mentioned to The committee recommends these on the computer. The information they you, or research a company you titles to learn more about elevator shared with you is a representation of are thinking about investing in, or speeches. how you affect those around you. look up information on the author of your book club’s next selection, Dolnick, Sandy. The Essential Eventually, you will create a number of or find out more about a drug your Friends of Libraries: Fast Facts, different speeches to use with different doctor prescribed for you. It is all Forms, and Tips. ALA, 2005. 99p. audiences. A successful speech includes published material, so it is much Genn, Adina. “Perfecting the information to hook the listener and more trustworthy than just putting Elevator Speech.” Long Island motivate him to continue talking with a couple of words into Google. Business News 50 (May 2003): you and eventually work with you. For 21. example, you would tell a teenager about I went to a workshop last week, Reilly, T. “Prepare Your Elevator the cool games he can check out, but the and the speaker was stressing the Speech.” Industrial Distribution local business woman would want to importance of hooking boys and 94 (April 2005): 27. hear about the many opportunities your books together. The speaker had Siess, Judith A. The Visible library provides for at-risk teenagers in several easy ideas, and I would like Librarian: Asserting Your Value your community. to try two of them. I have talked to with Marketing and Advocacy. my staff, and we think we should Chicago: ALA, 2003. 154p. Here are a few sample speeches to get institute a Saturday morning Wellner, A. S. “You Know What Your you started: program for boys and a close adult Company Does. Can You Explain male. We could also create a hot It in 30 Seconds?” Inc 29 (July I am a children’s literacy expert. My link off our website with booklists 2007): 92–97. staff and I help parents raise children of suggested reading and other fun who will enter school ready to learn book-related activities.

54 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries ALSC News

recipient of the Distinguished Service to ALSC, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL Wanted! Award Applications Award, which recognizes a member 60611; or e-mail: [email protected]. Deadline who has made significant contribu- for all professional award applications is ALSC is seeking nominations and appli- tions to and had an effect on library December 1, 2008. cations for its professional grants and services to children. Nominees may awards: be practicing librarians in a public or school library, a library or informa- ■■ Bechtel Fellowship. Mid-career librar- tion science educator, a member of ians, with a minimum of eight years Major Board Actions the library press, or an editor or other experience working with children, employee of a publishing house. The Electronic Actions are encouraged to apply for a Louise individual may be active or retired. Seaman Bechtel Fellowship to finance The recipient receives $1,000 and an The following actions were voted on a month of study at the Baldwin engraved pin. electronically by the ALSC board of Library of Historical Children’s directors on the electronic discussion Literature at the University of Florida ■■ Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator list ALSCBOARD. The month in which in Gainesville. The $4,000 fellowship Visit Award. Established with funding the vote took place is in parentheses is for travel and living expenses dur- from Simon and Schuster Children’s after each item. ing the period of study. A mentor will Publishing, this award pays the hono- be assigned upon request. rarium and travel for a visiting author/ VOTED, that ALSC continue as the illustrator to a maximum amount of national home of Día, that implemen- ■■ Bookapalooza. This program offers $4,000. Hayes Award applicants seek tation of Día be added to the existing three select libraries a collection of to provide a visit from an author/ ALSC strategic plan as a strategy under materials, including books, videos, illustrator who will speak to children the “Advocacy” goal area, and that staff audiobooks, and recordings. The who have not had the opportunity will work with existing member groups, materials are primarily for children up to hear a nationally known author/ such as the ALSC Quicklists Consulting to fourteen years old and have been illustrator. Committee, the ALSC Liaisons to submitted to ALSC award and media National Organizations Serving Children evaluation selection committees for ■■ Penguin Young Readers Group and Youth Committee, and the ALSC award and notables consideration. Award. This $600 award is presented Public Awareness Committee, to con- to up to four children’s librarians to tinue to implement the initiative. (March ■■ ALSC/BWI Summer Reading Program enable them to attend ALA Annual 2008) Grant. This $3,000 grant is designed Conference for the first time. The to encourage outstanding summer 2009 Annual Conference will be held VOTED, to co-sponsor in name only the reading program development by in Chicago. The recipients must be following programs at the September providing funding to implement such ALSC members, work directly with 2008 REFORMA National Conference: a program. The applicant must plan children, and have one to ten years of Children of Undocumented Parents and and present an outline for a theme- library experience. Their Right to Information; The Bilingual based summer reading program in a Child: Libraries Serving Linguistically public library. The committee encour- For more information about each and Culturally Diverse Children; Noche ages proposals with innovative ways award and to download award appli- de Cuentos @ the border; Reflections to encourage involvement of children cations, visit the ALSC website (www. of the Americas: Visual and Textual with physical or mental disabilities. ala.org/alsc) and click on Awards and Representations of Latino Cultures in Scholarships—Professional Awards. Américas and Pura Belpré Award-winning ■■ Distinguished Service Award. ALSC (Look for Bookapalooza on the main Picturebooks; Connecting Cultures members are invited to nominate one Awards and Scholarships page.) To and Celebrating Cuentos: Highlighting of their fellow members to be the request a form by mail, send a request Three Latino Children’s Literature

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 55 ALSC News Catching Up on the Kids! Campaign The ALSC Public Awareness Committee (PAC) has been busy this year developing new resource materials for the Kids! @ your library® Campaign and planning for its future. Now there are even more great reasons to check out the Kids! Campaign tool kit, which is filled with great, FREE resources for promoting libraries to youth!

What’s New? The latest tool kit additions include The Library Dragon readers theater script; line art adapted from Michael P. White’s Kids! Campaign artwork; a bibliography of books about kids and libraries; a list of songs for kids about reading and libraries; a Dr. Seuss–themed hidden treasure puzzle; and a Dr. Seuss Mad Libs™–type game. They are all free to download and use in your library and community.

Get the message out that there is So Much to See. So Much to Do. @ your library® with fun, temporary tattoos or a rubber stamp, both bearing Kids! Campaign logo art. ALSC has teamed up with JanWay and Kidstamps to make our logo available to librarians on their products. For pricing information and to purchase tattoos, contact JanWay at 1-800-877-5242. Mention ALSC’s customer number (26981). You will not be charged a setup fee—it has already been paid by ALSC. For information on the rubber stamps, contact Kidstamps at www.kidstamps.com; 216-291-6885 (phone); 216-291-6887 (fax); or Kidstamps, PO Box 18699, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118. Each stamp is $8.50. Shipping is free and there is no setup charge!

ALSC is offering ten $100 cash prizes to libraries for the best use of Kids! Campaign materials. For details of the contest, visit www.ala.org/ala/alsc/contest. Contest entries will be due on October 15, 2008, and winners will be announced at the 2009 ALA Midwinter Meeting.

Phase 2 Plans. PAC has begun planning efforts for phase 2 of the Kids! Campaign. Phase 2 will bring additional resources and materials to the tool kit to help librarians promote the library to kids in grades 5–8. Phase 1 of the campaign is focused on K–4 children, their parents, and caregivers.

PAC members held a survey in February to collect information from librarians that would help guide the development of phase 2 materials. ALSC hired consultants to facilitate focus groups in April and May with kids in grades 5–8. The purpose of the focus groups was to connect directly with kids and find out what they think and feel about the library and how it should be promoted to them. On the February survey of librarians, respondents were given the opportunity to share questions they’d like to ask tweens. We received many thoughtful responses, and many of their questions were incorporated into the discussion guides for the focus groups.

The survey results and focus group findings will help ALSC develop relevant and practical tools to help libraries reach out to kids in grades 5–8. Phase 2 will kick off in 2009.

For more information about the campaign and to check out all the free tool kit materials available, visit www.ala.org/kids and click on the tool kit link.

Awards; and Puentes de la Comunidad: VOTED, to approve the recommenda- Committee, including the use of Friends Understanding and Bridging the Gaps tions stated in the Awards Eligibility Task of ALSC funds for Emerging Leaders between South Carolina’s Latinos, Force report, as amended to clarify word- ($1,000) and the blog manager ($3,000). Libraries, and Legislators. (March 2008) ing under definition of “children’s book” in section II.C. VOTED, to authorize an additional $2,000 2008 Annual Conference Actions for the Kids! @ your library® Campaign During the 2008 Annual Conference in VOTED, to approve the board meeting in FY’09, for a total of $11,000. Anaheim, California, the board voted to agendas for Annual Conference 2008. take the following actions: VOTED, to revise the membership state- VOTED, to approve a publication pro- ment for the Program Coordinating VOTED, to choose a marketing plan for posal from the Intellectual Freedom Committee to read: “Chair + 5, including professional awards as the assignment Committee to update “The Censor Is the past chair who serves an additional for the 2008–09 ALSC Emerging Leader Coming” as an electronic publication. year as the ALSC representative to the project. ALA Conference Planning Coordinating VOTED, to approve the proposed FY’09 Team (CPCT).” budget as submitted by the Budget

56 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries ALSC News honors an outstanding video pro- Suggestions Welcome duction for children. Margaret Tice, New from ALSC/ALA [email protected]. ALSC is happy to announce the availabil- ALSC members are encouraged to sug- ity of The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: gest titles for the 2009 media awards. ■■ The Geisel Medal is given to the A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books, Send recommendations with full biblio- author and illustrator of the most 2008 Edition (ALA, 2008). The guide fea- graphic information to the award com- distinguished contribution to the tures a comprehensive list of all current mittee chair. body of American children’s literature and past medal and honor books includ- known as beginning reader books. ing annotations. It is an indispensable ■■ The Newbery Medal is given to the Joan Atkinson, [email protected]. guide for quick-reference, collection and author of the most distinguished con- curriculum development, and readers’ tribution to American literature for ■■ The ALSC/Booklist/YALSA Odyssey advisory. This edition’s essay, “The Art of children. Rose Treviño, rose.trevino@ Award for Excellence in Audiobook the Picture Book,” was written by Mary cityofhouston.net. Production will be given to the pro- M. Erbach, assistant director of interpre- ducer of the best audiobook produced tive exhibitions and family programs at ■■ The Caldecott Medal is given to the for children or young adults, avail- the Art Institute of Chicago. It addresses illustrator of the most distinguished able in English in the United States. how children’s picture books and original American picture book for children. Pam Spencer Holley, pamsholley@ picture book art have found a home in Nell Colburn, [email protected]. aol.com. the art museum setting and are valued as links to permanent museum collections ■■ The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is ■■ The Sibert Medal, sponsored by and as supplements for educational pro- a citation given to an American pub- Bound to Stay Bound Books, and gramming and hands-on activities. This lisher for a children’s book consid- named in honor of the company’s publication is available through the ALA ered to be the most outstanding of long-time president Robert F. Sibert, Store (www.alastore.ala.org). & those books originally published in is given to the author of the most a foreign language in a foreign coun- distinguished informational book for try, and subsequently translated into children. Carol Phillips, cphillips@ English and published in the United ebpl.org. Thanks to Our Sponsors States. Sandra Imdieke, simdieke@ Many thanks to the sponsors of nmu.edu. ■■ The 2009 (Laura Ingalls) Wilder Award the 2008 ALSC Preconference, is given in alternate years to an author “Summer Reading Survivor: ■■ The Arbuthnot Lecture features a or illustrator whose books published Overcoming the Challenges,” this speaker who is an individual of dis- in the United States, over a period of past June in Anaheim. tinction in the field of children’s lit- years, made a substantial and last- erature. Send recommendations for ing contribution to literature for chil- Children’s Book Council lecturers for the 2010 lecture to Kristi dren. Cathryn M. Mercier, cathryn Evanced Solutions Elle Jemtegaard, kjemtegaard@arling- [email protected]. Friends of ALSC tonva.us. HarperCollins Children’s Books We also welcome suggestions for the Highsmith/Upstart ■■ The Pura Belpré Award, co-sponsored Notable Children’s Media lists. Send JanWay Company USA by ALSC and REFORMA, is presented titles with full bibliographic information Kane/Miller Book Publishers to a Latino/Latina writer and illustra- to the committee chair. Lerner Publishing Group tor whose work best portrays, affirms, Mister Anderson’s Company and celebrates the Latino cultural ■■ Notable Children’s Books, Caroline Neal-Schuman Publishers experience in an outstanding work Ward, [email protected]. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson of literature for children and youth. Random House Children’s Books Claudette S. McLinn, cmclinn@aol ■■ Notable Children’s Recordings, Jane Reading is Fundamental .com. Claes, [email protected]. Rhode Island Novelty Scholastic ■■ The Andrew Carnegie Medal, sup- ■■ Notable Children’s Videos, Kathleen Tricycle Press ported by an endowment from the Apuzzo Krasniewicz, kras@perrot Weston Woods Studios Carnegie Corporation of New York, library.org. Index to Advertisers

AASL...... Cover 3 Russia Online...... 48 Hyperion Books for Children...... Cover 2 Treetop Publishing...... 35 Mirrorstone Books ...... Cover 4 University of North Texas ...... 51

Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries 57 Get Your Name in Print Submit an Article to Children and Libraries

Children and Libraries (CAL) is the official librarians, such as: a humorous story about be lost in translation from one program to publication of the Association for Library a library experience; a short trivia quiz or another; mark specialized formatting with Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the puzzle about children’s literature; a brief, text instructions, such as . Do not American Library Association (ALA). CAL is creatively written insight on library service, use the automatic footnote/endnote feature a vehicle for continuing education of librar- children’s literature, or programming; a very on your word processing program; create ians working with children, and showcases short question-and-answer interview with endnotes manually at the end of the article. current research and practice relating to a popular author; a funny story about what If sending a disk, label it with the first library service to children and spotlights kids are overheard saying in libraries. “The author’s name and all file names. significant activities and programs of the Last Word” will be a place for children’s association. librarians to share these stories and get their Writing and Bibliographic Style names in print. Please send your ideas or Manuscript Consideration finished stories to the editor. Children and Libraries follows the 15th edi- Attach a cover sheet indicating the title of tion of The Chicago Manual of Style. Authors the article and the full name, title, affiliation, Submit manuscripts that are neither under are responsible for accuracy in the man- phone number, fax number, e-mail address, consideration nor accepted elsewhere. Send uscript, including all names and citations. and complete mailing address of the first one copy of the manuscript to the CAL edi- Editor may revise accepted manuscripts for author. Include a 200-word abstract. tor at the address below. Editor will acknowl- clarity, accuracy, and readability, consistent Place tables on separate pages. Notations edge receipt of all manuscripts and send with publication style and journal audience. should appear in text for proper table and them to at least two referees for evaluation. figure placement (e.g., “insert table 1 here”). Accepted manuscripts with timely content Provide a title and caption for each table Address will have scheduling priority. and figure. Supply charts and graphs as spreadsheet Send correspondence and manuscripts Manuscript Preparation programs or as graphics (TIFFs or high- to Sharon Verbeten, CAL editor, via resolution JPEGs). Camera-ready copy is also e-mail to [email protected]. For information on formatting your manu- acceptable. You need not provide graphs in script, editorial style, guidelines for text and final form. If you prefer, you may provide a art, and copyright forms, contact the editor rough version, or even a sketch. If so, please at the address given. mark all data points clearly. We will create For citations, use endnotes as described the graphic. You will have a chance to review in the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of the graphic when you review your typeset Style, sections 16–17. pages during the proofing stage. Submit manuscripts and text (includ- Photos can also be included with manu- ing references, tables, notes, and bibliog- script. Color or black and white photos are raphies) to the editor by e-mail as a rich acceptable. We also can accept digital images text or Microsoft Word file attachment, copy of at least 300 dpi resolution. (Pict­ the text directly into the body of an e-mail ures from the Web are not of message, or send on a CD. Illustrative sufficient quality material (such as high-resolution digital for printed images) MUST be sent via CD. CDs must be m a t e r i a l PC-formatted. because their r e s o l u t i o n Full length features (e.g., scholarly, research is too low.) and “best practice” articles): fifteen to Photos will twenty pages, double-spaced. be returned to Short features (e.g., interviews with author(s) after authors, librarians, or others involved publication. with library service to children): three to Submit either ten pages, double-spaced. Microsoft Word or The Last Word: 500–750 words, double- WordPerfect files. spaced. Double-space the entire manuscript, Long and short features should be well including quotes and researched with themes relevant and of references. Insert two interest to children’s librarians and all those hard returns between involved and interested in library service to paragraphs. Number all children. pages. “The Last Word” is an end-page feature that Use a minimal amount will run in each issue and highlight brief, of formatting in files. light, or humorous essays from children’s Specialized formatting may

58 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries ALSC Officers

President Pat R. Scales, Send mail to: 200 Stewart St., Greenville, SC 29605-1044; phone: (864) 232- 6007; e-mail: [email protected]

Vice-President/President-Elect Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library. Send mail to: 21 Dorchester Lane, Riverside, CT 06878; phone: (203) 637-5235; fax: (203) 637-3876; e-mail: [email protected]

Past-President Jane B. Marino, Bronxville Public Library. Send mail to: 60 Woodcrest Ave., White Plains, NY 10604; phone: (914) 337-7680; fax: (914) 337-0332; e-mail: [email protected]

Division Councilor Linda A. Perkins, Berkeley Public Library. Send mail to: 1429 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94702; phone: (510) 981-6231; fax: (510) 981-6230; e-mail: [email protected]

Fiscal Officer Sue Zeigler, New York Public Library. 910 Morris Ave., Bronx, NY 10451; phone: (718) 588- 0110; fax: (718) 588-1432; e-mail: [email protected]

Executive Director Diane Foote, ALA. 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; phone: (312) 280-2162; fax: (312) 280-5271; e-mail: [email protected]

ALSC Board of Directors

2009 Thomas J. Barthelmess, Austin Public Library, 800 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78701; phone: (512) 974-7405; fax: (512) 974-7587; e-mail: [email protected]

Penny S. Markey, County of Los Angeles Public Library. Send mail to: 1534 Ruhland Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266; phone: (562) 940-8522; fax: (562) 803-3983; e-mail: [email protected]

Judy Zuckerman, Brooklyn Public Library. Send mail to: 182 State St., Brooklyn, NY 11201; phone: (718) 230- 2236; fax: (718) 230-2784; e-mail: [email protected]

2010 Mary Fellows, Upper Hudson Library System, 28 Essex St., Albany, NY 12206; phone: (518) 437-9880, ext. 228; fax: (518) 437-9884; e-mail: [email protected]

Timothy R. Wadham, St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131; phone: (314) 994- 9411, ext. 211; fax: (314) 997-7602; e-mail: [email protected]

2011 Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, 440 First St., Menasha, WI 54952-3143; phone: (920) 967-5166, x700; fax: (920) 967-5159; e-mail: [email protected]

Leslie M. Molnar, Cuyahoga County Public Library, 2111 Snow Rd., Parma, OH 44134; phone: (216) 749- 9352; fax: (216) 485-9851; e-mail: [email protected]

Elizabeth (Betsy) Orsburn, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St., Philadelphia, PA 19103; phone: (215) 686-5372; fax: (215) 686-5368; e-mail: [email protected] The Corncake Emergency Steven Engelfried

Steven Engelfried is a Raising a Reader tend apple, banana, and pear, when I tell Coordinator with the Multnomah County Charlotte Zolotow’s Mr. Rabbit and the Library in Portland, Oregon. He especially Lovely Present with puppets and props. enjoys telling stories with puppets and with props (when he can find them). I never did find any plastic leafy carrots, so I now use printed, laminated pictures of carrots (and broccoli and corn) when Emergencies come up all the time in I do Janet Stevens’s Tops and Bottoms. the lives of children’s librarians. Mine Two-dimensional props do not excite usually involve a story-related item that me, and I’d still rather have the real I desperately need right away, and if I thing, but I guess saving gasoline and don’t find it, storytime may be ruined. preserving family harmony might out- weigh the need for authenticity. My wife and kids have lived through this drama many times over the years. Dad As for kitty ears, which I like to use (along storms through the house frantically or buy them well in advance. with puppets and a big shirt to stuff them wondering, “Who took my kitty ears!” all in) when telling The Fat Cat (from Jack Dad drives to three different grocery More often, though, I don’t, and instead Kent’s book), I know they’re around here stores looking for blueberries, which I end up grabbing whatever I can find at somewhere. won’t be around for months. Dad asks the grocery store that looks the most like mom if she had any time to bake up corncakes, and that usually turns out to But I couldn’t find them anywhere yes- some corn cakes and could they please be mini-poppy seed muffins, which don’t terday, so I wound up quickly making be ready when he leaves for work in crumble into bits so much as they squish some out of black construction paper. forty-five minutes? Dad drives to three and smear (which is much less visually different grocery stores once again, this satisfying and much harder to get off Crafts are not my strength, though, so I time looking for carrots, but only the your puppets). Several Christmases ago, didn’t even think to add pink insides to kind with the long green leafy part still I found an instant corn muffin mix in the ears, and when I told the kids these attached will do. And there’s no way to my stocking—my wife’s idea of a slightly were kitty ears, one girl said, “Those are know when these emergencies will hit. sarcastic gag gift—but I must have mis- for a bat!” Oh well. They still liked the placed it. story. Well, actually there is. It’s called story- time planning. The truth is, I do a puppet My problem is that when I select a story, When I return to this class next month, version of Annie and the Wild Animals I want to tell it as soon as possible, I’ve already got it all worked out—I’ll do by Jan Brett almost every winter, which regardless of the props required and the some baking several days in advance, means I need to obtain some mini-corn- difficulties in obtaining them. Over the and tell Annie and the Wild Animals the cakes sometime between January and years, I have gradually managed to avoid way I like to tell it best, with authen- March so my moose, bear, and coyote some emergencies by purchasing plastic tic, crumbly corncakes. That’s the plan puppets can crumble them into bits. If I versions of real things. So I now have pre- anyway . . . unless I forget until the last just planned ahead, I could make them tend blueberries to use, along with a pre- minute. & Got a great, lighthearted essay? A funny story about children and libraries? Books and babies? Pets and picture books? A not-so-serious look at the world of children’s librarianship? Send your Last Word to Sharon Verbeten at [email protected].

60 Summer/Fall 2008 • Children and Libraries